We live in expanding universe
47- With power did We construct heaven. Verily, We are expanding it.
51-The Dispersing, 47
Is the universe infinite? Or is it finite in a steady state? From the very beginning this has been a subject of debate between great minds. Hot debates and ratiocination of all kinds failed to clarify this dilemma. This had once been the subject of philosophical speculations before it yielded its place to the science of physics. Some of the great minds argued that the universe was not a confined space, while others contended that its boundaries were drawn. The Quran describes it as a continuously expanding and dynamic universe. According to this description, the universe has a new aspect every instant that deviates from the concept of an infinite space; its perpetual expansion defies the concept of a confined and steady state universe. Thus, the Quran propounds a third alternative, leaving the heated controversy of thinkers in abeyance.
This may contribute to the formulation of a judgment for the inquiring minds, probing whether the Quran is God’s revelation or not. We have, on the one hand, Muhammad in the desert, neither a philosopher nor a physicist, and, on the other hand, the assumptions of great thinkers and philosophers such as Aristotle, Ptolemy,Giordano Bruno, Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton, to name but a few. The greatest minds in history, basing their arguments on observations and formulas they had ingeniously devised, claimed either that the universe had its confines or that it was an endless space, but it occurred to none of them to think of a dynamic expanding universe, until the 20th century when Edwin Hubble, by means of a telescope, demonstrated that the universe was expanding. The theory of expansion of the universe was first advanced in the 1920s. Until the descent of the Quran no other source had made such an assertion!
MUHAMMAD’S TELESCOPE
Unbelievers contended that the Quran was Muhammad’s own fabrication and not the revelation of God. How then would these dissenters explain the fact that Muhammad had been the only person who was aware of the expanding universe long before the 1920s.
Could it be that in the 600s he had invented a telescope similar to the one contrived in the 1900s? Could it be that he had been familiar with the handling of such a telescope and acquainted with the motion of stars and that he had concealed it from his fellow men? If those who accused the Prophet of lunacy and alleged that in his delusional states he imagined himself the messenger of God were justified in their claims, how would they account for the fact that he knew facts not known to his contemporaries, facts that were to be discovered 1300 years after his revelation of them? If those people assert that the Prophet had devised a religion to serve his own ends, how can they explain that his so-called delusions materialized after a lapse of 1300 years? His pronouncements at the time did not promote his interests in any way; quite the reverse was the case, since he unwittingly gave his enemies a hint they might take advantage of. Can a person whose own interests prevail over the interests of others declare something not to his own advantage that was sure to be bitterly censured and much derided by those whose naked eyes failed to observe the expansion of the universe? If, despite this, a person came up with the contention that Muhammad was an intelligent man who might have perceived this truth, what sort of an intelligence might this have been?
And, instead of boasting of having been the depository of such knowledge, why would he have preferred to tell an untruth and claim that this was not his own discovery but the revelation by God? While the inventor or discoverer of a pin is inclined to brag about his breakthrough, why on earth would Muhammad choose to be modest and categorically declare that the Quran was not his own production, but the revelation of God? Was this due to humility? Would these people - who had denied his prophethood and accused him of having been an impostor - have dared qualify him with the laudable attribute of “humility?”
DISCOVERY OF THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE
There was a gap in Newton’s physics. Newton believed in an endlessly vast and static universe. His law of gravity encountered a problem. How was it that the physical bodies, in the course of eons, defied their mutual attractions and did not collapse into a unity? The formula that Einstein devised abandoned the absolute notions of space and time as reference points for all objects in the universe. Basing his studies on Einstein’s formulas, Alexander Friedmann, a Russian physicist, discovered that the universe must be expanding. Georges Lemaître, a Belgian cleric, astronomer and cosmologist, formulated that the universe had begun in a cataclysmic explosion of a small, primeval superatom, like the growing of an oak tree from an acorn. This theory explained the recession of galaxies within the framework of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This idea was so incredible that even Einstein had problems accepting it, despite the fact that this all had originated from his own formulas. Einstein, rather, countered that physics was not the forte of Lemaître, and the universe was an infinite expanse and in a steady state.
Lemaître’s theory posited that the universe was expanding. This was a statement that no philosopher and no scientist had ever before set forth. Kant had said in his Critique of Pure Reason that this was an enigma unsolvable by human intelligence. This theory fit everything and explained the reason why the universe did not collapse in spite of gravity. The key had fit into the lock. It was the correct explanation of the enigma. However, this statement met with the usual adverse reaction: “No, it is not the truth...”
Remaining outside the sphere of theoretical controversy, American astronomer Hubble was, about the same time, making observations with his sophisticated telescope in the Mount Wilson observatory. He observed that galaxies were receding from each other, which proved that the universe was expanding. In answer to those who said they could not believe in things their eyes had not witnessed, Hubble’s discovery led to the following declaration: “Now that you see it, you have got to believe it.” Hubble showed this by the Doppler Effect. Thus the wavelengths of receding bodies prolonged in the spectrum of light waves would shift to red, while, if the bodies approached each other, the wavelengths would shorten, shifting to blue. The light that came from galaxies that shifted to red showed that the galaxies were receding. In line with this observation, Hubble discovered a striking law: the speed of galaxies that receded was directly proportional to the distance between galaxies. The farther away a galaxy stood, the more its speed of recession accelerated. The result was tested again and again. In 1950, a high-magnification telescope was installed on Mount Palomar in the USA, the largest instrument of its kind. The new tests and controls justified this observation. The measurements made pointed to the fact that the creation of the universe occurred about 10-15 billion years ago.
Both Einstein and Lemaître took an interest in Hubble’s work; Einstein, who did not agree with Lemaître at first, eventually acknowledged during a conference that Lemaître was right after all. He confessed that his failure to endorse these findings had been the gravest error in his life. Thus it was that the fact that the universe was of a dynamic nature and expanding, confirmed by observations, was also validated by the great physicist Einstein.
In the examples presented by Hubble and Lemaître, we see illustrated how a physicist arrives at a conclusion both in theory and through observation. While Lemaître demonstrated how he had made inferences from Einstein’s formulas to substantiate his theoretical discoveries, Hubble presented the data of his observations and his conclusions.
As we see, the result obtained by physicists is the consequence of cumulative and collective bits of knowledge and research. The Creator of physical laws provides the answer in the Quran to the issues of towering importance throughout human history. The Quran’s presentation of scientific facts is clear, direct, and concise; it is different than the presentation of scientists, which tends to be complicated by scientific methods and procedures. The provider of this answer does not have to go through all the labyrinths a scientist has to. The Quran’s method is perfectly straightforward, unswerving and explicit.
If we had the possibility of looking at the universe from above and somebody asked us to describe what we saw, our answer would be that it was expanding. To achieve the Quran’s revelation of this fact 1400 years ago, man would have needed access to the assistance of accumulated scientific data acquired throughout long years and to sophisticated telescopes. When people claim that science and religion oppose each other, the Quran furnishes answers to the most complicated scientific problems. Observations made by sophisticated telescopes today confirm the statements of the Quran.
The Quran, perfectly aware of the human psyche with its prescience, states that nonbelievers will insist on their convictions regardless how many miracles are presented to them. Some ask: “Why did the people also not believe in Jesus, who had performed miracles and healed the sick and the blind?” This example demonstrates why the majority of people did not believe in Christ and the other prophets, despite their miracles. Miracles change in fact as time goes by, but the negative attitude of most humans remains unchanged.
REASON FOR THE USE OF THE ROYAL PLURAL
I think it advisable to explain the reason for the use of “We” in the verse analyzed in this chapter. God uses both the royal plural “We” and the first person singular “I.” Some languages use the first person plural “we” to express grandeur and exalted rank.
In the hundreds of references addressing God in the second person, the pronoun used is “Thou” and never the plural “You” or “Ye.” The thousands of references made to Him as a third person always use the pronoun “He” and never “They.” References in the Quran to God always use either the second or the third person, and none of them as a second or third person plural. Thousands of times in the Quran, God is referred to as “Allah,” “Gracious (Rahman),” Merciful (Raheem),” and “Lord (Rab)” and all of these words are in the singular, never the plural.
THE POINT OF DEPARTURE OF OUR ODYSSEY
30- Do not these disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were an integrated mass, which We then split, and from water We made all living things? Will they not believe even then?
21-The Prophets, 30
We deduce from the contents of this verse that it admonishes the unbelievers for ignoring the apparent miracles. The atheists’ basic contention is that matter has no beginning and that it is the matter that has generated everything, both living and inanimate things, by fortuitous act. The Big Bang theory refutes the basic assertion of atheism in positing that the universe and time had a beginning. “Do not these disbelievers see that...?” is significant. And as it is implied by this verse, the fact that the heavens and the earth were in a state of unity before they were rent asunder was something indeed conceivable by the human mind. The 1900s were the years during which scientific discoveries succeeded each other. Those were the years in which some people tried to point out the contradiction between science and religion. It was presumptuous of them as their whims had been indulged by the prosperity generated by the industrial revolution to idolize matter, daring to substitute it for God. The fact that matter was created - that it had had beginning - as proven by the Big Bang theory, was a blow for unbelievers. The concluding sentence of the verse “Will they not believe even then?” is significant in that history confirmed the truth of this and the unbelievers remained adamant despite evidence produced.
Nevertheless, the arguments of this verse refute the unbelievers’ thesis of eternal matter and compel them to believe. This truth that was to be taken for a fact 1300 years after the revelation of the Quran was another warning for unbelievers. In history, there has been no one, other than the God through Quran, who claimed that the universe had been expanding and that the heavens and the earth had been split asunder. Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Modern Age, Plato, Thales - all those who had attempted to explain natural phenomena in natural terms - Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler and Kant, none of humanity’s great minds, had had an inkling of an expanding universe and of the fact that before creation the heavens and the earth had been an indivisible whole. Without the sophisticated equipment of the twentieth century at their disposal, and devoid of all accumulated scientific data, all of these celebrated philosophers and physicists had failed to take cognizance of this fact. The Creator of the universe communicated such important facts about His creation in His book and shed light on the celestial bodies, also proving thereby that the Quran had been His revelation. God unfolded to man the evidences of His creation, the creation that had originated from a single point in which man stood as another point. It is significant to note that while pointing at the comprehensibility of this revelation in the verse, “Do not these disbelievers see...?” He prefigures the stubbornness of unbelievers: “Will they not believe even then?” Einstein himself said that what astounded him was the comprehensibility of his discoveries about the universe, rather than the discoveries themselves. This shows how significant it was to stress the fact that these phenomena were in fact within the reach of man’s mental capacity.
COSMIC BACKGROUND RADIATION
The original unity of the universe is expressed by the Arabic word “ratq,” meaning the integrated state and the word “fatq,” signifying disintegration by separation. I have already mentioned that when Lemaître had posited this separation as described in the Quranic verse, his theory was first refuted. One of the contenders of this argument was Fred Hoyle. In the 1940s Fred Hoyle contended that if the Big Bang had effectively taken place there should have been a residue of the explosion, and asked that this fossil be shown. This satirical criticism led to the discovery of much evidence in support of the Big Bang theory. The expression “fossil” which was mockingly uttered by Hoyle became the scientific word for real evidence discovered later. While he was trying to debunk the theory of the Big Bang in a humorous way, he had unwittingly contributed to the confirmation of the Big Bang theory.
In 1948, George Gamow and his student Ralph Adler concluded that if the Big Bang theory were true, it must have had a fossil left behind as Hoyle had claimed. According to their logic, the low-level background radiation must have existed in every direction since the universe had begun expanding in every direction following the Big Bang. Radiation other than that caused by the Big Bang must have had particular points in space from which it departed. But the radiation generated by such an explosion could not be traced back to a point. With the universe’s dynamic expansion radiation must have scattered in every direction. In the 1960s, the form of radiation imagined by Gamow and Adler was made the subject of research by a group of scientists with precision instruments at their disposal at Princeton University. However, what they had been looking for was to be discovered by others in a very interesting way. Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were researchers at the Bell Telephone Company. One day, quite unexpectedly, they detected a uniform microwave radiation that suggested a residual thermal energy throughout the universe of about 3 Kelvin, which is a temperature of 3 degree Celsius above absolute 0. At first Penzias and Wilson could not unravel the mystery and had to call their colleagues Robert Dicke and his team. When he hung up, Dicke understood that he had lost the cause as he took cognizance of the fact that the discovery that was to bring the Nobel Prize award had been the lot of others. Surveys of the cosmic 3-Kelvin radiation indicated that it was perfectly uniform in all directions. The residue that Hoyle believed nonexistent had been found. So the Nobel Prize went to Penzias and Wilson.
SATELLITE IN SUPPORT OF BIG BANG
After Penzias and Wilson shared the Nobel Prize in 1965, the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), was rocketed into the sky in 1989. The data received from COBE confirmed the discovery of Penzias and Wilson. A great number of scientists evaluated the data produced by COBE as conclusive proof. Thus the process initiated by Lemaître in the 1920s was substantiated once again with new discoveries in the 1990s. 1400 years had elapsed since the revelation of the Quran and the satellite’s findings validated its statements. Supposing that we landed on a desert island and stumbled upon ashes: no one would doubt the fact that there had once been a fire on this island. The residue radiation that Penzias and Wilson ran across, and the COBE’s data, indicated the existence of the Big Bang. The contention by dissenters that the radiation scattered all over space had to be perfectly uniform in all directions is another indicator of the soundness of this evidence.
One of the proofs substantiating the Big Bang theory is related to the hydrogen-helium ratio in the universe. In the 1930s, astronomers, basing their studies on the fact that every celestial object emits a particular light, had recourse to a spectroscope to analyze the composition of the stars and galaxies. Calculations made by means of the spectroscope and mathematical formulas demonstrated that the universe, at its initial stage, comprised an average of 73% hydrogen and 25% helium and 2% other gases like carbon and oxygen. Stars did not generate hydrogen and that much helium. Calculations made by scientists made it clear that 20%-30% of the helium must have been produced before the evolution of stars. Only the primordial fireball at the outset of the Big Bang could have generated such a light synthesis; the expectations in the wake of the Big Bang and the quantity of hydrogen and helium in space are just a few of the proofs validating the theory.
Although the available scientific evidence is in itself sufficient to prove the Big Bang theory, we are witnessing a steady increase of this evidence. A Big Bang medium was created in Switzerland at CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire), the famous center that has the most powerful and versatile facilities of their kind in the world. The findings of the research carried out here lends further support to the theory.
The law of thermodynamics supports the theory according to which the universe must have had a beginning; the second law of thermodynamics states that some processes in nature are irreversible and unidirectional, the direction being dictated by an overall increase in entropy. Thus, the energy grows less and less utilizable until it becomes of no profit. If the universe and matter had existed from eternity, the movement would have come to a standstill in eternal time. On the other hand, eternity does not pass; if it does, then it is no longer an eternity. In brief, the very fact that we happen to be at this point connotes the existence of a beginning. If we think that time was not created, the contradiction is inevitable and ends up with a dilemma. The only solution to the dilemma would be positing that time was created and that the universe must have had a beginning; these, as proved by the Big Bang Theory, are mutually validating evidences.
COULD MUHAMMAD HAVE SENT A SATELLITE
We have witnessed the verification of data received from the satellites sent into space. How did it happen that the Prophet had an insight into the fact that the earth and the heavens were an integrated mass before they were split? We asked whether the Prophet could have had a telescope concealed under the sand dunes, a telescope as sophisticated as the Hubble telescope? Are the unbelievers going to claim now that Muhammad discovered the primeval unity of the heavens and the earth by having recourse to calculations of the cosmic background radiation, and that he had sent his satellite long before the launch of COBE, 1400 years ago? Penzias and Wilson shared the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Would the unbelievers nominate Muhammad for the Nobel Prize for physics for having announced 1400 years ago that the universe had once been a whole before space began expanding?
It is evident that anyone who contended that the Quran had not been sent by God, but was the work of the Prophet, would necessarily become an object of ridicule. However, those resolved to remain unbelievers would insist on their convictions regardless of all evidence being brought forth. So had it been with Abraham and Moses and Christ and so was it with Muhammad. The psychology of unbelievers has never changed throughout history.
Those who opposed Moses declared that they would adhere to their own conviction, no matter what signs Moses would produce.
132- They said: “No matter what kind of sign you show us, to bewitch us, we will not believe in you.”
7-The Purgatory, 132
BIG BANG : SIGN OF GOD’S UNITY
Polytheistic beliefs have exhibited structures that differ according to the communities and times in which they have evolved. The polytheistic beliefs in ancient Egypt differ greatly from the polytheism of India. However, these systems have something in common. Every god has his apportioned domain where he exerts his sovereignty. The sun is a god, so is the moon, and the divinity whose sanctuary is the hills is another such being. Some of these control the rains, others the winds; some have control over the mountains, some over the rivers...In opposition to belief-systems that parcel out the universe, the monotheistic religions, namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam, saw the universe as a whole. These religions professed that severance and sundering could not be imagined in a universe created by one God. According to these religions what seems to be divided is but in appearance only, while the essence of the universe is one whole; the universe ruled over by God is one entity, with every one of its points being interrelated with all the other points.
Famous philosophers of the past, from Kindî, Farabi, Averroes and Avicenna to Christian scholars, had announced that “One comes out of one,” positing thus the unity of God. These thinkers had tried to find a correlation between the occurrences in the universe whose logical conclusion would be the unity of God. In the aftermath of the Big Bang, this unity was once again proven. The origin of the universe was irrefutably one single composition. Considering that everything evolved out of this single entity, all elements should be in correlation with each other. No one could henceforth declare that the sun, the moon, man, the serpent or a plant had its respective creators. Unity lay beneath everything, and the Creator of this unity was also the Creator of the sun, the moon, the beasts and the plants that emerged from this unity. Even before the Big Bang theory, the irrationality of the idea that attributed different creators to different objects was evident. However, the Big-Bang proved with new evidence that God is One.
1- Say: He, God, is One.
2- God is He on Whom all depend.
3- He begets not, nor is He begotten;
4- And none equals Him. 112-Absoluteness, 1-4
WE ARE CREATED OUT OF NOTHING
117- Creator of the heavens and the earth from nothingness, He has only to say when He wills a thing, “Be,” and it is.
2-The Cow, 117
The Arabic word “beda’a” means creation of something out of nothing. This word also connotes the fact that something is created not on a pattern previously designed of something but as a completely new entity having no precedence. The greatest marvel of the creation is the creation of all concepts out of nothing. Think of the spectrum of colors. None of us can visualize a color that we have not already seen, nor can we produce that color. We are familiar with colors that already exist, but we cannot possibly create a new color. God, on the other hand, created all colors at a time when the concept of color did not exist, just as the universe did not exist before. To create a concept and its range of contents out of nothing is beyond human imagination and power.
Atheists contend that matter existed from eternity, that it had no beginning and that all formations evolved fortuitously. For example, in his books, famous materialist theoretician George Politzer contends that the universe was not created; had it been so, the universe would have been the work of a God who would have created it at a given moment out of nothing, that in order to be able to accept the theory of creation, one had to posit the existence of a moment when there was no universe, as it was to emerge from the void.
Atheism is the belief that God does not exist and materialism is the belief that only physical things have reality. These two words are often used as synonyms. Atheists who refute God’s existence accept the infinite existence of matter, and are, consequently, materialists. Atheists contend that matter was not created but existed from eternity. The postulate of the eternal existence of God and that matter was created goes back to the monotheistic religions. All the monotheistic religions postulate that God existed from eternity and that matter was created by God. The fact that matter was created also proves the existence of God and that Judaism and Christianity and Islam are religions revealed by God.
It is true that there are still some people today who worship the sun, the moon and fire. They carry on their practices and rituals without any logical, scientific or philosophical justification. It is futile to logically or scientifically refute beliefs that do not value reason, logic and science. Such people need evidence that would break down their prejudices and relieve them of their obsessions. Throughout history there have been three separate viewpoints that allege to be in conformity with reason and science. These viewpoints at least declare that they accept reason, logic and science as criteria. In the present book, I shall try to expound on these ideas and analyze their relevancy.
These three views are:
1) Monotheism: There is but one God, He that created this magnificent physical universe and everything in it, living or inanimate.
2) Atheistic materialism: Matter has been in existence since eternity. Everything is made of matter from a chain of fortuitous events.
3) Agnosticism: We cannot know which of these two viewpoints is correct. Both may be justified in their postulates. Essentially there are two fundamental alternatives. For the third announces that none of these views can be proved rather than propounding a new view. The agnostic point of view contends that we cannot know whether matter and things were created or not. For instance in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, David Hume’s (1711-1776) three interlocutors exhibit contrasts, namely “the accurate philosophical turn of Cleanthes” with “the careless skepticism of Philo” and “the rigid inflexible orthodoxy of Demea;” the words of Philo reflect the agnostic attitude. Kant (1724-1804) in The Critique of Pure Reason asserts that we cannot know whether matter was created or not. (Although his ideas were agnostic in character, Kant believed in God.)
THE BIG BANG INVALIDATES BOTH AGNOSTICISM AND ATHEISM
The agnostic’s assertion may be expressed by the sentence, “We cannot know whether there is a God or not, and we cannot know whether the universe has been in existence since eternity or not.” He believes that nothing is or can be known. If the hypothesis “Matter had a beginning” is confirmed, the assertion that “Matter had no beginning” would be refuted and the contention “We cannot know whether it had a beginning or not” will be proved wrong. Thus, demonstration of the fact that matter had a beginning is a blow not only to atheism but also to agnosticism and skepticism. Once the hypothesis of the beginning and creation of matter has been confirmed, the atheists should abandon their disbelief and the agnostics their skepticism. If you remember the words in the sura The Prophets, verse 30, “Will they not believe even then?” this statement in the verse that described the Big Bang is a sign according to which the unbelievers will stick to their own convictions, or lack of conviction. It has become clear that an agnostic is no different than a man who worships the cow and the denial of the atheist is tantamount to the adoration of fire; these people base their philosophies on absolute lack of evidence, sheer delusion, total lack of logic and scientific reasoning.
The claims of rationality and the so-called scientific approach of the atheists and agnostics have been debunked. In the coming pages we shall see that both in the creation of the universe, in things created within the universe and in the creation of living beings, an intelligently designed process is going on, and we shall demonstrate that the objections of agnostics and skeptics to this assertion are merely delusions.
BEFORE THE BIG BANG
It was understood that time existed in relation to the movements of matter. As matter and its movements did not exist prior to the Big Bang, time did not exist before the Big Bang. Matter and time came into being after the Big Bang. Their existence depends on each other. Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking conclusively proved in mathematical terms that the universe had had a beginning. The Big Bang theory confirmed the hypothetical alternative suggested by atheists that the universe had to have a beginning if it had been created. In brief, the claims of atheists have been proven wrong in scientific terms and in terms of logic and reason; and yet the atheistic attitude is still prevalent today due to reasons like stubbornness, delusion and arbitrariness. If there are two theses that negate each other, the substantiation of either of them disproves the other’s argument. The contention of atheists that matter existed from eternity having thus been falsified, the fact that it was created becomes the incontestable truth, discrediting the conviction of unbelievers. Insistence of denial of this proven fact is a gross mistake and an example of inexcusable dogmatism.
49- To the contrary, these are clear signs in the hearts of those who are granted knowledge. None deny Our messages except the unjust.
29-The Spider, 49
TEACHINGS OF THE BIG BANG
The Big Bang theory confirmed that the universe and time had a beginning and that matter did not exist from eternity but was created. The assertion that the universe existed from eternity was thus debunked. The Big Bang not only demonstrated that the universe was created by the Creator, but at the same time the false beliefs like the distribution of sovereignties among divinities, each having under his command the earth, the sun, the moon and the mountains respectively, were proved wrong. It became clear that whoever He was Who had devised the initial composition of the universe, having recourse to the Big Bang, was the Creator of everything. Thus the universe was under the exclusive control of One Single Power and this power was not shared. The universe evolved from a single point; the Author of that point was also the Originator of men, rivers, stars, butterflies, supernovas, colors, suffering and happiness, music and aesthetics. Since everything came into being emerging from the oneness, He must be the Author of that “oneness.
The Big Bang showed that the matter idolized by atheists, and the matter that makes up the entire universe is but an insignificant speck of dust, so to say. Those who witnessed that from that insignificant speck there have emerged men, beasts, plants, and the universe in its glowing colors understand that the genius was not inherent in the matter itself but in something exterior to it, i.e., in the Creator. Close your eyes and try to imagine the void and open them to behold the trees, the seas, the heavens, your own image reflected in the mirror, the food put at your disposal for your consumption and the works of art. . . . How could all these glorious things have emerged all by themselves from the dark and from one single point in the void? For intelligent minds, the creation unfolds itself not only in artistic aesthetics but also in mathematical terms. The velocity of expansion of the universe is of such a critical point that, according to the expression of a scientist, had the velocity been different at the primeval explosion less than 1/1018, the universe would have collapsed, sinking unto itself and never coming into being as it is. Likewise had the quantity of matter been less than it actually was, the universe would have scattered around, rendering the formation of the celestial bodies impossible. The force applied in the disintegration of the initial composition at the moment of creation is not only incommensurably great, but the design behind it is infinitely ingenious. Thus everything was designed by our Creator to make possible the existence of the universe. All these events are meant to show the blindfolded the infinite power of our Creator and the fact that He designed everything to the most infinitesimal detail perfectly. We are witnessing another fact through these phenomena: impossibility does not exist in the vocabulary of the Creator; it suffices Him to wish that something come about, and there it is.
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THE UNIVERSE IN GASEOUS STATE
11- Then He turned to the heavens, and it was in a gaseous state. And said to it, and the earth; “Come into existence, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.”
41-Elucidated, 11
“Dukhan” is the word used in Arabic for smoke, vapor and gaseous matter. It appears that the universe was a gaseous mass before it reached the state - by the will of God - from which the universe and the earth came to be.
We know that our world, the sun and the stars did not come about immediately after the primeval explosion. For the universe was in a gaseous state before the formation of the stars. This gaseous state was initially made of hydrogen and helium. Condensation and compression shaped the planets, the earth, the sun and the stars that were but products of the gaseous state. The discovery of these phenomena has been rendered possible thanks to successive findings as a result of observations and theoretical developments. The knowledge of all contemporary communities during the time of the Prophet would not suffice for the assertion that the universe had once been in a gaseous state. The Prophet himself did not claim to be the author of the statements in the Quran as it often reminded, declaring that he is simply a messenger of God.
49- This is news of the unseen which we reveal to you, which neither you nor your people knew before. So, be patient. Surely the end is for the dutiful.
11-Hud, 49
VOLATILE GASES TO ONE DAY BE TRANSFORMED INTO MAGNOLIAS
It is evident that the aim of the scientific miracles expounded in the Quran was not only to perform miracles, or to teach us some scientific facts. The knowledge provided by the Quran is of paramount importance. The Book focuses our attention on the ingenuity of the creation full of marvels. The fact that it miraculously predicted events, the knowledge of which was unattainable at the time of the revelation of the Quran, is not the only important point. It also provides consequential knowledge. Take for instance sura 41, verse 11: the fact that the Quran revealed 1400 years ago that the universe was previously in a gaseous state is a miracle. But the fact that the universe was not confined to its original state, but expanded in the wake of the primeval explosion and from this there emerged - within the framework of laws imposed by God - the stars, the planets, human beings and the magnolias are also part of His miraculous creation. In witnessing these miracles unfolded in the Quran we must not lose sight of the level of knowledge of the time and what is concealed behind the expressions.
We witness perfect operation of the physical laws in creation as the smoke of gas compressed formed the stars. Gravitational power caused the smoke to contract and the stars to be born, but the gravitational force does not go to extremes, and prevents the star from becoming a black hole. What can be the agent behind this process involving infinitesimal calculations, if not the Creator? Natural laws that encompass the entire universe also apply to the formation of stars. The objectives were targeted by the Creator on the eve of creation. Gravitation is not something intelligent and sentient and cannot be the author of all these formations. What a grotesque sight we would behold had the Creator had recourse to a chain to hold fast all the celestial bodies instead of the gravitation he devised. The problem was solved by His ingenious creation of gravity. Isaac Newton (1642-1724), who considered gravity the natural law imposed by the Creator, was the first scientist to discover laws of gravity. But neither he nor any other scientist could discover the fact that the universe was in a gaseous state in the beginning, neither before the revelation of the Quran, nor 1000 years afterwards. The sun that warms us, the blue oceans, the musical notes, the taste of our dishes have their origin in that gaseous state.
11- Indeed this is a reminder,
12- For anyone who desires to bear it in mind.
80-He Frowned, 11-12
PERFECT ORBITS
7- By the Sky with its ingeniously devised paths (orbits).
51-The Dispersing, 7
The Arabic expression “zat-ul hubuk” means ingeniously devised paths (orbits). The expression connotes beautifully designed formations. The scintillating brilliance of the stars that has enchanted us ever since the beginning of our existence, the incomparable sight unfolded across the sky has always attracted our attention, overwhelming us. Numerous poems and prose works describe the charming sensations that the sky generates in the human breast. The rising and setting of the sun, the phases of the moon, the sky studded with stars give the picture of a steady state universe. The universe full of its orbits is not visible to the naked eye. Stars that move at incredible speeds seem stationary to us. The fact that all stars and heavenly bodies are in motion was only scientifically established after the discovery of the telescope and the advance of science. The number of galaxies in the universe exceeds hundreds of millions, each comprising more than one hundred million stars, some larger and some smaller than the sun. Our sun is comparably of middle size. These stars have many planets like the earth and the planets have their satellites like our moon. All these have come about after having detached from one single point. All these stars and planets and satellites have their respective orbits. The omnipotence of God is conspicuous in His creation. God who originated everything from a single point demonstrated that the skill involved was not inherent in that point; having generated from it billions of celestial bodies displayed the endlessness of His power and facility. Every one of these bodies moves in its own orbit so that the state of the universe changes every second. This variation takes place by the motion within the respective orbit of every star, planet and satellite. Every moment in the universe is a new occurrence: so is every instant of a star, a planet and a satellite.
ARGUMENT FROM MOTION
The process of motion has been the subject of study by many thinkers throughout history. Plato said that the source of motion must have been God and described the universe as being governed by a Designer who was good and beneficent. Aristotle inferred that God must be the Prime Mover, that He was the original source and cause of motion in the universe. Farabi, representative of the Islamic world, concluded that the Prime Mover was the source of all existence and that He, the Unmoved Mover, had generated the movement. The Ihvan-› Safa, a philosophical-religious association of the 10th century, produced encyclopedic works. This association underlined the motion of the universe, confirmed the process of creation out of nothing, drawing attention to the order reigning in the universe and the perpetual movement that proved the existence of God. A great many Christian thinkers like Thomas Aquinas saw the motion of the universe as an evidence of a Supreme Being.
The fact that the motion in the universe is not limited to our solar system or to a handful of stars but is spread all over space is a very important point since it is also a proof of the endlessness of the power of God. The attention that the verse draws to the orbits in space is also meaningful. Galaxies move in perpetual motion; their constituent billions of stars float in their respective pathways; the planets trace elliptical orbits around the stars; and the satellites make their rounds about the planets, motion inside motion. If motion had not been devised to be an intrinsic part of matter we could not have sat comfortably in our chairs to watch TV. Nor would the sun, the earth or our very selves exist. All these formations owe their existence to the moving objects. The movement of stars in their orbits, the movement of planets around the stars have rendered our existence possible and our sipping coffee while watching television. The creation of motion in an ingenious and regular order generating chain reactions, and our observation of precise, ordered and perfect movements in galaxies of macrocosm and in atoms of microcosm are flamboyant invitations to conceive God’s power and knowledge. There will certainly be people who will turn a deaf ear to these invitations. Verse 7 of the sura The Dispersing that draws our attention to the orbits is followed by the following verses:
8- You are surely caught in contradictions
9- Deviating therefrom are the deviators.
51-The Dispersing, 8-9
ATOM AND SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
3- Not even an atom’s weight in the heavens and the earth, or something smaller or greater than it is hidden from Him, but all are in a clear record.
The atom is the smallest particle of matter. God drew attention to the existence of the atom, laying emphasis on the importance of its knowledge. A naked eye looking at a table, a carpet, a wall or a stone cannot fully grasp the importance of the atom and the knowledge it contains. While the Quran stresses the importance of the atom, it emphasizes also the subatomic particles, “Or something smaller or greater than.” In the expression “greater than” is comprised the knowledge of the greater compositions like molecules, the entirety of which is within God’s ken.
Men contemporary with the Prophet could not possibly have known that in the atom and subatomic particles and their compounds different types of knowledge were comprised. The Quran asserts the omniscience of God. Drawing attention to the existence of the atom and the subatomic particles is relevant to the present day information that physics has discovered.
The knowledge obtained today by means of cosmological physics studying the science of the origin and structure of the universe are interrelated with the data of atomic physics. Another miraculous sign of the Quran is its referring to the weight (miskale in Arabic) of the atom wherever the word “zerre” (atom) is mentioned.
FROM VAST TO SMALLEST MAGNITUDES
Imagine you are eating a pizza with great relish. What are its ingredients? Sausage, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes and flour. What are the constituents of these sausages, cheeses, mushrooms and tomatoes and what are the constituents of the constituents? This series of questions leads us to molecules. The molecules themselves are made up of atoms such as oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. Then come protons and electrons, together forming eventually the nucleus of the atom...
The entire universe is made of matter or energy. From the trunk of a tree to its leaves, from the hands of a human being to his eyes, from golden ornaments to cotton dresses, everything is matter. The atom is the individual structure that constitutes the basic unit of any chemical element.
The proton is an elementary particle that is the positively charged constituent of ordinary matter, and, like the neutron, is the building stone of atomic nuclei. The electron is an elementary particle that is the negatively charged constituent of ordinary matter. These are the recent discoveries of science that led us to the discovery of the television, computer, Internet, etc. Take, for instance, a grain of sand in the palm, which is assumed to be the simplest matter, and think of the quadrillion of atoms it contains; quadrillions of atoms you could not finish counting throughout the span of your lifetime. Imagine that each of these atoms has its electrons moving around the nuclei, like the planets making their rounds around the sun. A quadrillion solar systems contained within a grain of sand or piece of rock in your palm. An intelligent mind will readily conceive that there is nothing simple in the universe. Be it a pizza or a rock, suppose that you fancy recomposing them. To embark on such a huge project, you must go back to the very beginning, to the primeval explosion, and repeat the process. In this odyssey, you will run into atoms, cornerstones of the universe, entailing the existence of protons, electrons and neutrons; then you will be faced by the gaseous substance made of hydrogen and helium; these will be followed by stars and atoms produced in these stars which will one day be transformed into the mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes of our pizza. In order to really make a pizza, we need to create the entire universe with all the stages it had.
The more you delve into the study of the atom the greater becomes your wonder. Suppose a penny on the table is the nucleus of an atom. The orbit that the electron would trace around it would be at a distance of 2-3 km. What is in between? The distance between the two, i.e., the nucleus and the electrons, is a vacuum. In other words, a piece of rock held in our hand contains in it quadrillions of solar systems, but 99.99% of it is a vacuum. Interesting, isn’t it?
While we observed the fact that the universe was replete with orbits as described in the verse (51-The Dispersing, 7), we witnessed the infinitude of God’s power and magnitude. This divine power is demonstrated through more than one hundred million galaxies, more than a hundred million stars contained in each, countless planets and satellites and their quadrillions of devised orbits. A grain of sand, then, contains quadrillions of miniature replicas of the solar system where electrons dance around the nuclei of quadrillions of atoms. What should one deduce from this? To begin with, the incommensurable magnitude of our Creator’s power is also observed in the depth of matter. Endless vastness has been created from these particles. The motion of the atom is the same movement around the center of limitless magnitudes. The system in any given galaxy and the one forming a particle of dust is the same system. The Author of that speck of dust is also the Author of the universe. All these phenomena point to the immensity of His power and to the order reigning in the universe, as well as to the fact that nothing is casual in His creation. The creation of the smallest and of the biggest is equal for Him. The creation of a point containing trillions of atoms and of immense space is equal for Him and difficulty is a notion not applicable for Him. There is no limit to His wisdom and power.
27- And if all the trees on earth were made into pens, and the ocean supplied the ink, augmented by seven more oceans, the words of God would not run out. God is indeed Almighty and Wise.
31-Luqmaan, 27
INFINITESIMAL CONTENTS OF ATOMS
The nucleus of the atom contains protons charged with positive electricity. These positive charges repel each other. The miracle of creation occurs when protons adhere to each other forming a single point. The power that confines the protons repelling each other and the neutrons within a single point is immense; it is called strong nuclear force. The elementary particles containing this force are referred to with the French epithet “gluons” meaning “sticky” (The immense destructive energy of the atomic bomb was obtained by the use of this force). God, who devised everything in the universe with mathematical precision, has also conceived this immense force with mathematical exactitude. This force adheres the mutually repelling protons to each other; had the power been weaker or stronger, the protons could disintegrate or it could cause the intrusion of protons and neutrons into each other.
The atomic bomb demonstrated tragically the immense power of the atom. It also showed that one of the factors that contributed to our worldly existence is its intrinsic balance. Thanks to the welladjusted order reigning in this field, matter does not disintegrate all of a sudden, giving rise to noxious effects of radiation. Another important factor that contributes to the stability of the atom is the weak force inherent in it. This force is particularly important in establishing the balance of the nuclei that comprise an excessive number of neutrons and protons.
Electromagnetic force is another factor contributing to the existence of atom. It is this force that brings about the attraction of oppositely charged particles and the repulsion of particles having like electric charges. This has made possible the coming together of the protons and electrons. However, this coming together has its limits. Electrons do not stick to the protons while they move at a breathtaking speed around the nucleus in their orbits. The repulsion of negatively charged electrons turning in succession, and the attraction of the electrons by the protons changes nothing. In this way, the electron does not stick to the proton that attracts it, nor is it moved away. The Creator of this system, of these electrons, deprived of consciousness, is undoubtedly the Creator of matter, atoms, electrons, etc. Let us make an experiment as conscious human beings. Imagine tying a rope around the waists of three or four people while others stand in the middle of the circle. Let those in the middle try to pull the tied people towards themselves while the outside people are circumnavigating the center, and let the people making the circle push each other and those in the center as well, resembling the movement within the nucleus of an atom. We certainly do not expect them to make thousands of rotations per second like an electron. Can reasonable human beings continue to imitate the motion of an atom for the length of one minute? And imagine for an instant that we venture to imitate the model of an atom with 3 or 4 orbits and that there are three or four rotations around the symbolic nucleus. In addition to this, suppose that sumo wrestlers representing the gluons with adhesive properties within the nucleus try to keep those pulling the rope while pushing each other at their places. What an awkward experience this would be! How have the protons and electrons been performing this feast over and over again endlessly for eons and eons with the quadrillions of atoms contained in a small rock?
These atoms existing in the universe and in our bodies were produced long ago in supernovas. The calcium in our teeth, the carbon that our pizza contains, and the iron atoms in our body are products of stars of high temperatures. These raw materials of the universe are prepared in the laboratory of these stars before being transformed into pizzas, water, blood, flesh, teeth and eyes.
This is not a story of an adventure taking place far away from us. Our hands, hair, eyes, our very food and the chair we sit on, everything is performing this process indiscriminately. Our Creator is perpetuating this process incessantly with His omnipotence and omniscience. All these movements of the atom and the energy inherent in it are what perpetuate our existence.
2- To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. No son has He begotten, nor has He a partner in His dominion. It is He who created all things, and ordered them in exact measure.
25-The Distinguisher, 2
WHAT ELSE?
It is estimated that there are some 1080 particles in the universe. Add 80 zeros after 1 to have an idea of this magnitude. These particles function thanks to complex, ingeniously devised and balanced forces. So do the comets, supernovas and planets, a consequence of the harmonious interaction of these particles. What else must one bring forth to give an idea of the power and design lying behind all these? In this chapter, I tried to outline the structure of an atom and emphasize that it was extremely complex, perfect and ingeniously devised. Were we to push our exploration further, our wonder would be much greater. The emergence of elementary particles in the wake of the Big Bang is the result of an intelligent design. The heat at every instant during the explosion, the number of atomic particles, the forces involved in every stage and their intensities have been carefully planned. Any change in these values would be the end of existence, of galaxies and atoms, and would end up in chaos. The consequence of this primeval explosion was not chaos as might be expected, but a perfect harmony, the work of the Creator, governed by physical laws, a perfect order reigning among galaxies and atoms.
Tiny units of split seconds had their function to perform in the creation of the universe. Had the particles and anti-particles been created in equal number, all of them would be destroyed when the temperature fell below one billion degrees, leaving behind nothing but
radiation. The very fact of our existence is evidence to the contrary. The number of electrons had to be somewhat more than the number of positrons and the number of protons should exceed the number of anti-protons and the figure representing the neutrons should be superior to the number of anti-neutrons.
Every particle had to come into being at a predetermined velocity, temperature and time sequence. The primeval explosion was designed in such a way that it was followed by an evolution that reflected the Creator’s ingenious artistry. We have touched on the structure of the atom and the formation of atomic particles after the primeval explosion. The more one delves into the mystery of creation the more one’s wonder and amazement increase. The actual magnificence of the atom, the creation of particles of the atom by an intelligent design and the transformation of the particles into atoms are beyond the grasp of the intellect. If 1080 particles, with mutually attracting and repulsing electricity charges, had not been transformed into atoms in a finely balanced manner, neither the human ego, nor the book we read, nor the earth we inhabit would exist.
Whether we ascend to the heavens or descend to the microscopic depths, we encounter the same perfection and immensity of God’s work and design.
120- To God do belong the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that there is therein, and it is He who has power over all things.
5-The Feast, 120
BLACK HOLES:MIGHTY OATH
75- So, I swear by the place where the stars fall.
76- And that is indeed a mighty oath, if you but knew.
56-The Inevitable, 75-76
The expression “place where... fall” (mawqi) also mentioned in the sura, The Cave (Kehf), verse 53, means the place where the sinners fall, i.e., hell. The root of this word is “WaQa’Aa” and it means the action of falling, a happening and an incidence. Stars perpetuate their existence with hydrogen bombs exploding in them. During these explosions a portion of matter is transferred into energy, emitting heat of immeasurably high temperature. Conversion of one gram of matter into energy may be obtained by burning two million kilograms of coal. For instance, in our sun-which is but a star of medium size-four billion kilograms of matter are converted into energy every second. A star uses but a small portion of its matter as fuel, and when this fuel is exhausted, it dies off. The lifetime that God designed for the living had also been apportioned for the stars. As new stars are born somewhere in the universe, the old ones bid farewell, as if saying: “We pass away, but our Creator is for ever abiding and his Creation is perpetual.”
FALLING OF STARS AND MIGHTY OATH
The place where the stars fall is stressed by an oath coupled with the epithet “mighty.” We shall see incommensurately great mathematical figures in connection with the death of stars whose fuel is exhausted. The great numerical values in the universe come about at the death of stars to which reference is made with the following words in the Quran, “And that is indeed a mighty oath, if you but knew.” Everybody versed in physics knows that one of the most interesting phenomena in the universe is the black hole that comes about in the wake of the death of massive stars whose magnitudes are greater than three times the size of our sun. Having depleted their fuel, these cosmic bodies die, collapsing inward upon themselves. The giant stars that contract possess a great gravitational force. This force is so immense that even light, with its velocity of approximately 300,000 km/sec, cannot escape it; these black holes absorb even the light that passes by. Later on, a great many planets and stars are attracted by this gravitational force. Black holes also constitute “the place where the stars fall.” The existence of black holes is deduced from the fact that they attract as whirlpools the matter of other nearby stars and emit Xrays, swallowing all the lights and stars around. The most interesting studies of Stephen Hawking are on black holes. Stephen Hawking discovered the radiation that came to be called the Hawking Radiation by establishing the fact that a black hole could emit radiation while conforming to the physical laws of energy.
The black holes formed by the collapse of stars by their gravitational force are in perfect conformity with verses 75-76 of the sura, The Inevitable. At the time of the descent of the Quran, the end of a star by being transformed into a black hole was something unknown. A star turning into a black hole and the stages it goes through are very interesting phenomena.
Stars that run out of fuel do not immediately collapse. They grow in size at first, as if inflated. Their temperature, around 15 million degrees, rises up to 100 million degrees. They are first transformed into red giants or super giants. The area covered by a super giant is so vast that it can easily contain more than sixty million suns. The immensity of these numerical values is reminiscent of the magnitudes indicated in 76th verse of the sura.
Some of the supernovas contract and turn into white dwarf stars whose mass equal the size of a human being but weigh 10 million kilograms. Still greater stars become neutron stars (pulsars), stars supposed to form in the final stage of the stellar evolution; these consist of a super dense mass mainly of neutrons having a strong attractive force. The matter in the neutron stars is extremely dense. Just to give you an idea, a teaspoonful of this matter would weigh one billion tons.While all these spectacular events are taking place, we, on our planet, continue to sleep, run and talk, quite unaware of them. So is our life: rendered possible by forces beyond our ken.
PULSARS
1- By the heavens and The Knocker.
2- How will you comprehend what the The Knocker is?
3- It’s a piercing star.
86-The Knocker, 1-3
The word “Tariq” stems from the root “TaRaQa” meaning “knocking, striking.” In many translations of the Quran this word was taken for a name and left untranslated. The word may also mean “to pulsate” like a beating heart, from which the word “pulsar” is derived, denoting an object that is far away in space, and like a star produces a regular radio signal.
LITTLE GREEN MEN OF THE UNIVERSE
In 1967 Jocellyn Bell accidentally stumbled on a gravity time warp a million times greater than that produced by the sun. The object she detected was emitting regular pulses. These pulses were reminiscent of heart-beats. At the time, such a pulsating object was not known to exist in space. At first, it was concluded that these signals might well have been propagated by intelligent beings, inhabitants of other planets. Invitation cards were printed, the media were notified and a seminar was arranged. LGM (Little Green Men) signified that intelligent creatures had been detected and were contacted by radio signals. Not long after, the source of the signals in question was discovered: it was a spinning neutron star, an object whose velocity was incommensurably great. The neutron star had another name: “pulsar.” Bell’s discovery failed to establish contact with the inhabitants of space, but she had found pulsars. The words “pulsar” and “pulsating” seem to accord with the word Tariq of the Quran, which means “knocker.”
CAN YOU COMPREHEND WHAT A PULSAR IS?
In the second verse of the sura, The Knocker, we read: “How will you comprehend what The Knocker is?” A spoonful of matter taken from a pulsar would weigh one billion tons. Were we to depose a small particle of it on earth, the particle would pierce it and end up in its center. Just think of it, a spoonful of any matter on earth hardly weighing more than a few grams! This shows how difficult it is to conceive of a pulsar. A pulsar is produced by the compression of stars a couple of times bigger than the sun. The diameter of a pulsar can be about 15-20 km. Were we to compress our world in a like manner, we would have a sphere of 100 meters of diameter. It takes the earth 24 hours to rotate around its own axis, whereas the pulsar rotates around its own axis many times per second; all these things show how difficult it is to comprehend this striking, pulsating star.
LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN WORK A MIRACLE
Some have tried to identify the star mentioned in the verse and have claimed it to be a certain celestial body, like Saturn or Venus. Mustafa Mlivo, who claims these assumptions are not correct and that “Tariq” is none other than a pulsar, says the following:
Characteristics of the celestial object mentioned in 86:1-3 are:
1- It pulsates (knocks);
2- It is a star;
3- It penetrates, pierces, drills.
None of the solar system planets meets all those criteria because:
A- None of the planets produces pulsations that give the impression of knocking, beating.
B- None of them is a star. They are cold celestial bodies.
C- None of them produces such an intensive radiation.
As one can see, the Quran had already mentioned a star that was to be discovered. This star was indeed discovered, but in the year 1970. Since the concept of a “pulsating star” could not be imagined at that time, it was rendered in translation as it stood, i.e., “Tariq,” the meaning of it being explained in footnotes, in dictionaries and interpretations.
The Quran whose every sentence, every word is based on the finest of meanings, wherein lie hidden realms still to be discovered. The more we study the Quran, the more we are enlightened, the more we learn
ATTRACTION AND MOTION
15- I swear by those that recede
16- By flowing that goes to nest
81-The Rolling, 15-16
To gain clearer insight into the meaning of these verses, let us see first the signification of the words used in Arabic. The Arabic word “hunnes” that we translate with the expression “Those that recede” also has the connotation of “shrinking,” “sinking,” “retrogression” and “regression.” On the other hand, the Arabic word “kunnes” means “to follow a definite itinerary,” “to return home” and also “nest of a moving object.” And the word “flowing” in the 16th verse is expressed by the word “jariye.”
We are inextricably bound by an indefinite number of scientific laws in our daily life, among which are the law of gravitation, the law of motion, the law of thermodynamics, etc. While we eat or relieve ourselves we are subject to the law of gravitation. When astronauts eat and relieve themselves in space, they have to take recourse to special arrangements in order to satisfy their demands, because their bodies were created according to the standards of the earth gravitation. Discoveries of scientists are not discoveries of the nonexistent, as their function is to throw light on those things that already exist.
Gravitational force has always existed in the universe. But it fell to the lot of Isaac Newton (1642-1727) to clarify it by describing it with mathematical formulas. Newton demonstrated by the law of gravitation that God’s creation was based on the law of gravity, which governs the stars, the earth, the moon, and that man’s erect posture was not a haphazard development, but was related to the gravitational force inherent in matter.
Referring to the fine balances of the universe, Isaac Newton said that the author of this extremely sensitive system, composed of the sun, the planets and the comets, can only be a Creator endowed with intelligence and power. He, whom we call our omniscient Lord, is the ruler of all these things, His dominion embraces all.
UNIVERSAL MATHEMATICS
The Quran often speaks of the fact that God created everything within a given measure. This means that everything in the universe is governed by mathematics. The thing made to measure is commensurable, measurable by a given standard and can be expressed in mathematical terms. Newton corrected the results that Kepler and Galileo had reached, gave them precision and proved that the material universe could be explained in mathematical terms.
In the 1700s science took cognizance of the importance of the gravitational force. God alluded in the Quran in the 600s to the law of gravitation, to which He had had recourse in His creation. In the verses mentioned at the head of this chapter, one can see the allusion to attraction and to the balance between attraction and motion. The sun and the nucleus of the atom are in states of recession and retrogression, the nucleus attracting electrons and the sun attracting planets. The nuclei, which have already retrograded in the center, want to integrate the electrons, and the sun acts likewise by drawing the planets unto themselves by applying forces that cause them to recede. The word “hunnes” mentioned in verse 15 of the sura, The Rolling, can easily be claimed to be signifying attraction.
Despite the attraction by the nucleus of the atom, electrons do not adhere to the nucleus. Likewise, the planets do not come into contact with the sun despite the latter’s gravitational force. It is the motion of electrons and planets that prevent the electrons from fusing to the nucleus and the planets to the sun. The word “jariye” used in verse 16 of sura The Rolling signifies flowing, and is a perfect choice since it is the factor that prevents adhesion. Had the electrons and planets tended to adhere to the nucleus and to the sun respectively, no planet, no solar system, no orbit, no vital energy, and no majesty in the creation would exist. If the electrons and planets were to scatter in defiance of the “hunnes,” having been released from the gravitational force, again, neither galaxies, nor the animal kingdom, nor vegetation, nor we would exist. Thanks to these two separate phenomena, electrons return to their orbits, their homes, and planets where they belong, to move in their orbits. This is marvelously expressed with the word “kunnes” in verse 16. The Quran uses the word “hunnes” to signify attraction, and motion by the word “jariye” that resists against the force of attraction and to be within the orbit again by the word “kunnes.” Thus, in a period when there was no term to express attraction, the Quran had already revealed the phenomena that depended
on attraction.
MARVELS FROM ATOMS TO STARS
As we already have seen, God testifies under oath to pull our attention to certain events or phenomena. The oaths we see pronounced in verses point to the flawless creations of God, and the miraculous announcements in the Quran for minds cleansed from stubbornness. Protons exert attraction in the innumerable nuclei of atoms in our body while the electrons oppose this force while remaining within the orbit. These happenings in the atom are in continuous and harmonious activity thanks to the electromagnetic force and to the other forces of the atom. If the atoms of our body we call “I” were to stick to the chair we are sitting in and to integrate with the ground upon which we stretch out, there would no longer be an entity called “I.” Again, if the electrons of the chair we are sitting on collided with the electrons of our body, giving rise to chaos, could we have ever existed? No. The gravitational force and the motion, as well as other forces, harmoniously contribute to our being. Forces that have come about, and everything in Creation, remind
us of God.
ALL AFLOAT IN ORBITS
33- It is He who created the night and the day, and the sun, and the moon; each of them floating in an orbit.
21-The Prophets, 33
The word expressing totality in the Arabic language is “kullu” while the Arabic expression “tasniya” refers to any two objects. In the verse reference is made to the motion of two celestial bodies, namely the sun and the moon. However, the reason why “tasniya” is not used indicates that there should be more than two objects. If we suppose that the night and the day take place on the earth, the other object should be the earth. The Arabic word “falak” is used in Arabic to denote the orbit traced by stars and planets.
THE MIRACLE IN THE USE OF EVERY SINGLE WORD
As one can see, every single word and suffix has been carefully selected. The Arabic equivalent of the expression “to float” is “sabaha.” Maurice Bucaille says the harmony of the movements of the sun, the moon and the earth can be expressed as follows: “The Arabic verb ‘sabaha’ refers to displacement of an object by its own movement. The meanings of this verb converge on displacement referring to the motion of the object by itself. When displacement takes place in water, the movement refers to the act of floating; when it is on land the displacement takes place by the movement of the object’s own legs. If, on the other hand, this displacement occurs in space, the motion intended can be described only by the etymological sense of the word. Thus, ‘sabaha’ should be conceived as a motion in a self-generating act. The moon rotates around its axis within a space of time equal to its revolution around the earth; that is 29.5 days. So what we see is always the same face of the moon. ‘The sun turns about its axis within 25 days approximately. The word ‘sabaha’ that describes the motions of the sun and the moon conforms to the findings of recent scientific data. This fact could not have been fancied by a human being in the 7th century, regardless of his erudition.”
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
The motions of the sun and the moon and the earth continue without the slightest interference with our life. On the other hand, all the phenomena are brought about to make life on earth and diversity possible. The earth revolves about the sun, at an angle of inclination of 23 degrees and 27 minutes. The seasons evolve upon the earth thanks to this inclination upon which depends also the system of growth of plants. The velocity of rotation of the earth about its axis attains 1670 km. If the earth did not rotate, its surface facing the sun would be exposed to continuous light while the rear would be in perpetual darkness. In such a world, neither vegetation nor beings could exist.
40- Neither can the sun overtake the moon, nor does the night precede the day. Each of them is floating in an orbit.
36-Ya-Seen, 40
All the motions of the sun, the moon and the earth continue in perfect harmony. Everything is so excellently arranged that even Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, contributes to the life on earth. Astronomer George Wetherill, in his article on Jupiter, says that had there been no planet of a magnitude equal to the size of Jupiter, the earth would have had one thousand times more exposure to stray meteors and comets, and that if Jupiter were not at the place where it happened to be, we could not have been here now to probe into the mystery of the origin of the solar system. No matter where we turn, we come across splendors, infinitesimal calculations and works of art provided. Of course, we meditate on God’s creation using our intelligence. Our Creator displays the evidences of His omnipotence and omniscience and His compassion everywhere in the universe.
190- Surely, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alteration of night and day, there are signs for those who posses intelligence.
191- They remember God while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides. And contemplate on the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be You glorified. Protect us from the torment of the fire.”
3-The Family of Imran, 190-191
CREATION IN PAIRS
36- Glory be to the One, who created in pairs all things that the earth produces, as well as themselves, and other things they do not know.
36-Ya-Seen, 36
The Arabic word “azvaj” is the plural of “zavj” meaning “pairs,” “matches,” “partners.” There are three sorts of pairs in the Creation as described in the verse:
a- Pairs that grow from the earth, i.e., plants that have species of differentiated sex;
b- Human pairs, males and females. Also some included human characteristics like bravery / cowardice; love / hate; generosity / stinginess, etc.
c- Pairs unknown: men did not know anything about the creation in pairs at the time of the descent of the Quran. In this section we shall be dealing with the latter in particular.
THE DISCOVERY THAT WON THE NOBEL PRIZE AWARD
The atom lies at the basis of all matter in the universe. A study of this smallest piece of matter may give an idea about the creation of everything in pairs (partners). As research conducted on the structure of the atom gained momentum, it became clear that the constituents of elementary particles were not limited to protons, neutrons and electrons and that their compositions were of a more complex nature and an unerring precision. Creation in pairs is also valid for elementary particles.
A proton has its anti-proton, an electron is coupled with a positron, and a neutron possesses an anti-neutron. The creation of matter in pairs is one of the discoveries of towering importance of physics. Paul Dirac, a British scientist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1933 for his discovery in this field. His discovery (Parity) led to the discovery of the fact that matter has an anti-matter. God’s ingenious calculation is also seen in the numbers of protons, electrons, and neutrons, and of their respective pairs. Let us take as an example the electron and its counterpart, the positron. When these two get together, energy is generated. If there were 15 units of positron versus 10 units of electrons, 10 units of electrons and 10 units of positrons would be eliminated leaving behind 5 units of positron. If their numbers were equal, there would emerge only energy, leaving behind no electrons or positrons. The survival of protons, electrons and neutrons depends on the quantities higher than their respective pairs, while the numerical balance between electrons, protons and neutrons is also important. For example, if the number of electrons were less than the number of protons, there would be no life in the universe. All the fine calculations in our existence are based on this fact. Had one single formation of thousands of phenomena been left to chance, we would not have been on our planet today. We exist thanks to the omniscience of our Creator Who controls everything through His omnipotence.
CONTRIBUTION TO UNITY OF POLARITY
As I have already pointed out, the fact that the description of scientific phenomena in the Quran could not be accounted for by the knowledge acquired at the time of the Prophet is not the only outstanding point. This fact is certainly very important. However, our wonder becomes even greater when we examine the scientific data provided in the verses of the Quran which reflect God’s omnipotence, art, science and design.
For instance, the statement in sura 21, verse 30 that the universe was created from an integrated mass, as the raw material of the heavens and the earth were closed up before God split them, could not possibly be the word of a mortal at the time of the Prophet. This also proved that God had created the matter, the universe and that He had preset objectives in His mind. Therefore, as we proceed, I shall try to point to the scientific miracles in the verses of the Quran as well as to the fact that these things testified to His existence and the splendor of His art. In brief, as important as the existence of the miracles themselves is the inspiration displayed by the miracles. This also holds true of course for the verses announcing that the material world was created in pairs. At the time of the descent of the Quran the creation of the universe in pairs and the significant role of this phenomenon could not possibly have been known. Important as this is, the gamut of wonders ranging from the forces to the balance between the protons and anti-protons, between neutrons and antineutrons are also important. The Quran’s concern is not merely to stress the miracle as such, but also to draw attention to the creation in pairs so that we may have a better insight into the wonders of the creation.
The importance of creation in pairs in the universe gained momentum with the discovery of quarks within the protons and neutrons as well. Laboratory research has made it clear that quarks and leptons (another subatomic particle) emerged in pairs. When the quark called “Bottom” was discovered after such quarks as “Up,” “Down,” “Charm” and “Strange,” the consciousness of creation in pairs was so widespread among scientists that the name “Top” was given to a quark before even it was discovered. In the year 1994, the discovery of the quark “Top” was announced. The research carried out in the Fermi labs in the USA resulted in the discovery of “Top,” that paired up with the quark called “Bottom.”
All paired creations contribute to the integral order of the universe. The quarks “Up” and “Down,” the protons and antiprotons, the positive and negative electricity charges in the universe have no consciousness. All these well-ordered and predetermined formations are created in a microcosm that, in turn, renders possible the formation of galaxies, stars, planets, plants, the animal kingdom and humankind. Opposite pairs of forces and opposite pairs of particles owe their existence to an Omnipotent Power. The colorful and marvelous universe based on the formation of opposite pairs of force bars the possibility of chaos. Whoever the author of the creation and the designer of ultimate ends may have been, it was He who generated the pairs of particles and forces and set these opposite particles and forces to operate in a harmonious unity until the targets are reached. For those who take heed the evidence is clear.
49- And We created pairs of everything that you may contemplate.
51-The Dispersing, 49
RELATIVITY OF TIME ANNOUNCED 1400 YEARS AGO
4- To Him ascend the angels and the spirit in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
70-The Heights, 4
5- He regulates all affairs from the heaven to the earth. Then they ascend to Him in a day, the measure of which is a thousand years as you count.
32-The Prostration, 5
Throughout history, “time” was assumed to apply equally in every imaginable spot in the universe and in every medium. If we consider this conception, we can see the radical change that the above verses brought. The Quran said that, according to circumstances, the “day” concept might equal even up to fifty thousand years. These verses which must have encountered objections have been elucidated in the twentieth century and shed light on important truths.
The theory of relativity is Einstein’s best known discovery. However, many people whose interests are not in any way related to physics are at a loss to understand what this theory signifies. The Quran had already touched on these facts 1400 years ago. Einstein’s theory of relativity has two main divisions, namely the special theory of relativity and the general theory of relativity.
According to Einstein, time would pass more slowly for somebody driving a vehicle at a speed close to the velocity of light. In a medium in which an inhabitant of the earth passes one hundred days, it may take a person fifty days to displace at a speed nearing the propagation speed of light. This finding is the most interesting fact of the relativity theory. Time slows down in direct proportion with speed. Time is therefore a relative conception, as indicated in the Quran. Hours differ and days are conceived differently according to the medium, place and speed involved.
The general theory of relativity deals with gravitational fields and tries to demonstrate that time is slower in the fields of greater gravitation. A man walking on the surface of the sun will see that his clock runs more slowly, as do the biological and anatomical functions and all the motions in terms of his atoms. Recent experiments have corroborated this fact. One of these experiments was conducted in the
British National Institute of Physics. John Laverty, researcher, synchronized two clocks indicating the exact time (two clocks of optimum
perfection; error of precision in the course of a space of time of 300,000 years would be not more than 1 second). One of these clocks was kept at a laboratory in London; the other was taken aboard an airplane shuttling between London and China. The high altitude at which the aircraft flies is subject to a lower gravitational force. In other words, time was expected to pass at a faster rate aboard a plane in conformity with the general relativity theory. There is not so great a difference in terms of gravity between someone treading upon the earth and someone flying in the air. This difference could only be established by a precision instrument. It was established that the clock aboard the aircraft had a greater speed, one per fifty five billion seconds. This experiment is one of the proofs of the relativity of time. According to the prevailing prejudice, there should not be any difference between the two clocks. This supports the dispelling of prejudices as foreseen in the Quran. Had it been possible to make this experiment on a planet with greater gravitational force, there would be no need for precision instruments to measure the difference, since normal watches could do the job.
THE USE OF THE WORD “DAY” IN THE QURAN
Verse 5 of the sura The Prostration and Verse 4 of the sura The Heights not only point to the relativity of time, but give also a clear meaning of the Arabic word “yawm” that denotes not only the space of time of one day - which comprises 24 hours - but also a certain period of time. This makes it easier to understand the six “yawm”s mentioned in the Quran (See: 7-The Purgatory, 54; 11-Hud, 7; 10- Jonah, 3; 25-The Distinguisher, 59; 32-The Prostration, 4; 57-Iron, 4.) Before the creation of the universe and the world there was no notion of “day,” a period of 24 hours. Therefore, the six “yawm”s must be understood as six “periods.”
This gives a clue to the Jews and Christians for the interpretation of the Biblical account according to which the world was created in six days. Findings in the domain of space physics show that the universe and our world passed through many stages, from a gaseous state to galaxies, to the formation of the atmosphere surrounding the Earth, and of waters and metals. The fact that the Quran refers to the stages that the process of creation went through is also better understood by modern cosmology.
If we remember the stories of creation of ancient Egypt, China and India, we encounter wild fancies such as a universe standing on a tortoise or as an eternally existing entity. None of the past civilizations had made any reference to the stages of this evolution. This message of the Quran contributes to a correct interpretation of Biblical exegeses of the concept of day. The message in the Bible that reads: “And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.” (Genesis 2, 2) was thus corrected, as fatigue was certainly out of the question for God.
38- We created the heavens and the earth, and all that lies between them in six days, and no fatigue touched us.
50-Qaf, 38
CONTRIBUTION OF THE RELATIVITY THEORY
Einstein postulated that the concept of time was relative. For Kant time was an innate function of reason. He contended that the perception of time was an a priori category. Einstein’s physics was henceforth the science that integrated time and space, so that, instead of space we had now space-time.
There is something that must not escape attention, however: the perception of time is achieved by the intellect. Since according to our estimation, just as the special relativity theory establishes that velocity makes time relative and the general relativity theory postulates that gravity makes time relative, one should elaborate on “the intellect’s relativity” which posits that the intellect’s perception manner would render the relative perception of time. Like a key that fits the lock, our intellect also has the capacity of perceiving time and the universe. That is (1) time exists in the universe, (2) and the intellect is created with a priori abilities to perceive time and the universe. The two processes are coexistent, just like the coexistence of the world seen by us and the eyes.
It seems to us only fair to add the intellect’s perception factor to Einstein’s concepts relating velocity and gravity and time. Comprehension of time’s relativity will contribute to a better understanding of the Quran. For instance, it is said in the Quran that the dead will think when resurrected that their span on the earth had been very brief. Once time’s relativity has been conceived, the puzzling
question of the time to elapse from one’s death till the Day of Judgment will be clear. Such questions for the inquisitive mind that sees the time upon the earth as the only valid time regardless of the attending circumstances will find their answer, once time’s relativity is understood. Given the fact that a deceased person is outside the confines of the temporal dimensions of the earth, the time to elapse after his death, regardless of its actual duration, would be of no consequence.
45- On the day when He gathers them, it will appear to them as if they had tarried an hour of a day...
10-Jonah, 45
112- He said: “How many years did you stay on earth?”
113- They said: “We stayed a day or part of a day, ask those
who account.”
23-The Believers, 112-113
ANYONE AMONG US TIRED OF WAITING FOR EONS?
The reason why the fifteen billion years that elapsed from the moment the universe was created until the creation of man was made clear by time’s relativity. In a different context, fifteen billion years may be conceived as one minute or even less. The length of its duration depends on our perception and standpoint.
Scientists, based on the most recent and accurate calculations, assert that approximately fifteen billion years have elapsed since the creation of the universe until this very moment. Is there anyone who feels tired of waiting for eons? The evident answer being in the negative, the time the departed will have to wait as from their decease until resurrection will not cause anxiety in them. Comprehension of time’s relativity renders possible the solution of many problems believed to be beyond the grasp of the intellect.
PROOF FROM NECESSARY VERSUS POSSIBLE BEING
A host of celebrated philosophers like Avicenna, Farabi, Taftazani and Jurjani had recourse to this argument in proving God’s existence. They asserted that all the possible creatures upon the earth could not exist by themselves as they owed their existence to a Creator. “The created” requires a Creator while God, “the Self-Existent” (whose existence is a necessity) does not need a creator. The created is a product of causality; their existence or non-existence are within the confines of possibility. To think of the non-existence of the existent poses no contradiction. However, this does not hold true for the Self-Existing, God; otherwise the contradiction would be evident. Philosophers like Leibniz argued in like manner the principle of “Sufficient Reason.” According to him, the universe is made of possible beings. The universe itself is a possibility. If we try to trace back the chain of causality (which is impossible) until the infinite this would not explain the universe. Yes, the universe is a possibility but requires a Sufficient Reason outside its confines. To allege that the reasons may be traced back to the infinite would mean that we were created after eternity. But since eternity is endless there would be no question of any lapse of time after eternity; if there has been a chain of causality, it would necessarily follow that it had had an end. If there had been a chain of causality that came to an end, it would prove the existence of a “first cause.” There may be persons who would find the existence of a first cause difficult to grasp. On the other hand, an eternal chain of causes would be a self-contradiction.
Absurd and incomprehensible are not the same thing. For instance, the structure of a space-shuttle may be incomprehensible for us, but we cannot deny its existence. The number 5 cannot be higher than the number 10; that is absurd. As the contrary is absurd (that the eternal chain of causes has led to this point), the existence of a first cause is a necessity (although there are those who contend that this argument is “beyond comprehension”).
What I propose to do is to reformulate the approaches of a series of thinkers from Avicenna to Leibniz in the light of scientific data obtained in the twentieth century in a richer and more scientific context. Findings related to the relativity theory may be used for this end. That the perfect use of time existing only in relative terms in the universe, in the formation of the universal targets, can only be grasped by the existence of an Absolute and Indispensable Regulator, that the existence of time can only be explained in a satisfactory way by the Cause behind the creation of time, that the harmony existing between time and intellect can be imagined to exist by the presence of a Regulator outside the confines of time and intellect and that even time is a possibility depending on a Creator should be integrated for use with the explanation of the “proof from necessary versus possible beings.”
81- And He shows you His signs: Then which of the signs of God will you deny?
THE SUN ALSO MOVES ALONG
38- And the Sun moves on to its destination. That is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knower.
36-Ya-Seen, 38
For a long time in the past men thought that the earth was stationary and that the sun revolved around the earth. Later Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo postulated the theory that the sun was stationary and that the earth revolved about the sun. It was even later, thanks to sophisticated telescopes and the accumulation of cosmological data, that it was concluded that the sun was moving as well and the earth revolved about the sun in motion. Despite the fact that it took science this long, this motion of the sun had already been told 1400 years ago in the Quran. Contrary to the assertion that the sun traced a vicious circle about the earth or that it was stationary, the 38th verse of the sura Ya-Seen stated correctly that it moved on to its destination. As in other subjects, in this one also the Quran is the source that gave a correct account of the sun’s motion.
THE METHOD OF THE QURAN AND THE METHOD OF SCIENCE
A book of science purports to demonstrate the theses it advances and the points of reference. The Quran is the message from the Creator of the Universe and describes the Universe in the word of its Creator, in a style different from that of a book on science. The fact that basic statements about the universe in the Quran were destined to come to light after the lapse of more than a millennium, that none of its statements referring to various scientific issues contained errors, shows that the Quran is the book of the Creator of the Universe. Unlike a scientific treatise that tries to find answers to such inquiries into the whys, wherefores and hows and seeks corroborative proofs to theories advanced, the Quran makes final statements. The scientific method has to follow a well-known path before it formulates the postulates toward which the Quran draws a beeline.
We see that the methodological ways of science differ from the direct communications of the Quran. Regardless of statements made, science must follow its own path consisting of stages. This is a consequence of the structure of scientific knowledge. As a matter of fact, the Quran promotes scientific research both upon the earth and in space. On the other hand, I am not trying to create a contest between science and the Quran by juxtaposing the Quranic statements and the secular scientific conclusions. What I have been trying to do is to draw attention to the fact that the straightforward statements made in the Quran tally with the conclusions of science arrived at by following predetermined stages of research, thus proving the realization of what has been predicted in the Quran. The Quran’s origin is the Creator, who is the Knower of Everything. The information directly communicated by the Quran was inaccessible through scientific methods which would have recourse to the accumulation of data, formulas, observations and technical findings. The Creator of both the universe and the rules governing it had already communicated the findings of science in the Quran.
THE SPEED OF THE SUN
The sun moves at a speed of 700,000 km/h in the direction of the star Vega, following its orbital path referred to as the Solar Apex. The Earth rotates around its own axis while revolving about the sun, moving along with the Solar System.
The sun rises every morning and sets every night. However, the points where it rises and sets are never the same. The earth travels around the sun, which moves in the universe without ever passing through the same point. To imagine that in the course of time elapsed from the time at which we started reading our book until now that we are reading this very page, the sun, along with our world, have traveled a few million kilometers, and that we have not been adversely affected by this motion in any way whatsoever, may give use a clue of God’s system.
RISING POINTS OF THE SUN
5- The Lord of the heavens, and the earth, and all that lies between them, and the Lord of the easts (places where the sun rise).
37-Who Stand in Row, 5
Because the earth has a spherical shape, the sun that rises somewhere sets simultaneously somewhere else. Night and day chase each other. Therefore we cannot speak of a given point from which the sun rises, but rather of different points. The hour of dawn is different at every single point of our sphere. Every spot on the earth expects the rise of the sun while it is “rising” at different spots in space. The sun we behold every morning is a giant nuclear reactor. This reactor, generated by the conversion of hydrogen atoms into helium, performs its task marvelously. We continue our journey in space unaware of the immense speed of our source of life toward our predestined point. God’s omnipotence and the Quran’s miracles will unfold to those who take heed, who have an inquiring mind and are truthful in their approach to the Quranic verses.
43- And such are the parables we set forth for the people, but only those understand them who have knowledge.
29-The Spider, 43 80
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE MOON
5- It is He who made the sun to be a radiant and the moon to be a light ...
10-Jonah, 5
The sun as a nuclear reactor is our world’s source of light and heat. The quantity of radiation reaching our world from the sun that warms our world in the cold of space is two per billion of the sun’s total quantity of radiation. The moon is not a source of heat and light like the sun. This difference between the sun and the moon finds its description in the Quran, i.e., the sun’s light is expressed by the Arabic word “ziya” (radiant) and the moon’s light is expressed by the word “noor” (light). The word “ziya” meaning radiation has the connotation of light and heat, while “noor” does not have such a connotation. Other attributes of the sun in the Quran are similes such as “seraj” (torch) or “wahhaj” (lamp). Both “seraj” and “wahhaj” emit heat and light through the fire burning within them. The fact that such attributes are not used for the light of the moon shows how refined the
style of the Quran is.
AMENITIES OF THE SUN
The energy generated by the sun in just one second is equal to the energy that three billion power stations would generate on earth in a year. The world receives but two per billion parts of the overall radiation coming from the sun. The slightest decrease in this quantity would turn our world into a place no longer habitable by human beings, as ice age would reign. The distance of our world from the sun, the size of the sun, and the power of reactions within the sun are all calculated infinitesimally. We are part of these calculations. The slightest change in the figures would make life on earth impossible. The creation and the perpetuation of these critical values are the sine qua non of our lives. The sun rotates around its own axis while moving towards a particular destination; the earth, on the other hand, has a variety of movements; it rotates around its own axis, revolves about the sun, being dependent on it, and is affected by the moon. In all the rapid movements, our world changes all the time according to the position of the solar system and galaxies. None of the movements affects our position in relation to the sun nor puts an end to our life on earth.
Life requires carbon-based molecules. These are only generated between -20 degrees Celsius and +120 degrees Celsius. The range of temperatures is vast in the universe, the heat in stars rises to millions of degrees and falls until -273.15 degrees Celsius is reached. The bracket for the ideal medium for the formation of carbon-based molecules is just a thin slice, one per one hundred thousand of the existing heat differences. Had the world failed to conserve its existing heat and quit the bracket it is in, that would be the end of us. But our Creator is ever conscious of our actual needs and everything is controlled by Him.
2- ...He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each one runs for an appointed term. He regulates all affairs, and explains the signs in detail that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
13-The Thunder, 2
The sun, about 150 million kilometers distant from us, renders life on earth possible. An aircraft traveling at 1000 km/hour would have trouble covering this distance in seventeen years. The temperature in the center of the sun, whose surface temperature is six thousand degrees Celsius, is 15 million degrees Celsius. Not even on the surface of this incandescent gaseous sphere can life be imagined. But at a reasonable distance for us, it is our planet’s closest friend and source of life.
98- Your only god is God. There is no other god but He. His knowledge encompasses all things.
20-Ta-He, 98 82
THE ORBIT OF THE MOON
39- And the moon. We have measured for it mansions. Till it returns like an old curved palm tree branch.
36-Ya-Seen, 39
In comparison with other satellites of the solar system, the moon is a very large one. Competing theories have been developed regarding the formation of the moon. According to the one most widely accepted, the earth must have collided with a celestial body, the impact parceling out a big mass from the earth’s crust that was eventually to turn into the moon. Although this may not be the true story, recent data obtained - with the help of the Lunar Prospector, the American probing instrument - seem to corroborate this theory. There are, in the Quran, many references to the moon and its movements. The data provided by modern scientific findings demonstrated how necessary the moon is for life on earth. The moon with its great volume, a well-designed distance in terms of proportions of a satellite, fixes the earth’s center of rotation. This makes possible the climatic conditions of our planet, creating the ideal medium for life on it. This situation has been going on for millions of years. There are scientists who contend that the core of our world preserves its liquid form thanks to the gravity exerted by the moon. This protects our planet’s magnetic field (We shall come back to this in Chapters 18 & 19). Had there been no magnetic field, the cosmic radiation would destroy life on the earth. Had it not been for the moon, it is estimated that the earth would have rotated about its axis in ten hours, which would seriously affect the life on earth. The moon’s exerting its attraction on oceans slowed down its rotation.
All these formations, including the mass and the spinning velocity of the moon, are the result of infinitesimal calculations made at the time of creation by God. God used the word “qadar” (measured) for the mathematics to which He had recourse. We are not going to dwell on the erroneous interpretation of this concept haphazardly contrived in the name of religion. In Verse 39 of the sura Ya-Seen, the mathematical arrangement is expressed by the word “qadar.” The moon’s distance from the earth, its mass and the velocity of its revolution, its position in relation to the sun and gravity are calculated with mathematical precision. Its “qadar” has been predetermined. The slightest variation in these calculations would bring life on earth to an end. The moon is not only the actor of romantic nights, the object of inspiration of poets, but also the sine qua non friend of life on earth. As the moon orbits around the earth it has a sinuous orbit that looks like an old
curved palm tree branch. The illustration here demonstrates the moon’s orbit through space.
OLD CURVED PALM TREE BRANCH
The moon orbits earth in 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes and 11 seconds. The Arabic word “qamar” meaning “moon” is used 27 times in the Quran. (The miraculous character of this shall be dealt with in the coming pages.) The moon’s orbit around the earth traces a sinuosity. While the earth travels around the sun, the moon revolves about the earth in a variable orbit, tracing a curvature, a sinuosity, a spiral. The same face is always presented to the earth. The curve it traces is reminiscent of a curved branch. The Arabic word used to designate the orbit of the moon is “urjun,” the curved palm tree branch. This branch is qualified by the attribute “old” that denotes a thinner and more curved branch. The simile beautifully describes the orbit traced by the moon about the earth.
MOON’S DEPENDENCE ON THE SUN
1- By the sun and its brightness
2- And the moon that follows it.
91-The Sun, 1-2
In the verses above, the moon’s relation to the sun is described. The Arabic word “talaa” means a “follower,” “a hanger-on.” The moon revolves around the sun together with the earth of which it is a satellite; they follow in the footsteps of the sun. Both the moon and our world are dependent on the sun’s motion. They displace while pursuing the sun. The moon and the earth revolve around a moving sun. The Quran’s revelation about the moon’s dependence on the sun is another miracle that leaves us in awe.
JOURNEY TO THE MOON
18- And the Moon when it is full
19- You will surely ride from stage to stage
20- So, why do they not believe?
84-The Splitting, 18-20
The moon is associated in our minds with beautiful scenes and romantic landscapes. For those who use the lunar calendar, it is a precision calculator. The ebb and tide it causes have always been a mystery for men. It is used to symbolize mathematics, astronomy, art and romanticism.
Throughout history the moon has been the symbol of the unattainable. All these features also existed at the time of the Prophet.
For 1400 years the meaning of the above quoted verses remained unraveled. In the Quran, the conjunction “and” (wa) is frequently used to stress a point; sometimes it is rendered in English by the preposition “by” when making serious promises, taking an oath or calling someone to witness. Commentators dealt differently with the “ride from stage to stage.” The reason was the inaccessibility of the moon at the time. Going to the moon was beyond imagination.
This “riding from stage to stage” had the association for some of spiritual ascension, symbolizing the passage from this world to the other world, the stages of development of man from an embryo to adolescence and senescence. Yet, the verse foresees that human beings will pass from stage to stage in the future. Spiritual ascension and man’s biological development were nothing new. Therefore, I am of the opinion that these interpretations of the past do not reflect reality. The context of the verse connotes the anticipation that a particular phenomenon will take place in the future and the verse questions the reason why the people do not believe when this event takes place. The Arabic word “tabaq” (stage) also mentioned in the sura 67, 3rd verse, and the sura 71, 15th verse, refers not to spiritual, but concrete things. The use of the word “ride” clearly connotes a journey.
Having thus explained the 19th verse in this fashion, the thing that our attention is drawn to, the moon in the 18th verse, supports the idea that “riding from stage to stage” is done by means of a shuttle from the earth to the moon.
WHY DO THEY NOT BELIEVE?
The Russian spacecraft Luna 2 was the first probe to hit the moon (September 12, 1959), and Luna 3 took the first photographs of the far side of the moon. But the most important event was the landing on the moon on July, 21, 1969 by Neil Armstrong and his companions aboard the Apollo 11. The scene of landing on the blurred TV screen was surely one of the most spectacular events in human history.
What had been thought impossible had come true. There were positivists, however, who pointed to this event as a scientific achievement and used it as an argument against religion. Certain bigoted scholars of Islam contended that it was a lie that there had been such an event, and that anybody who claimed that man was on the moon would be cursed.
The miraculous prediction had come true, showing once again God’s art and power. Photographs taken from the moon reflect once more the splendor of God’s design. The mass of the moon, the moon’s distance from the earth point to God’s splendid design. Had the mass of the moon been larger or had the moon been nearer the earth, the continents would be flooded following the tide, rendering our survival impossible.
Verse 20 that comes after verses 18 & 19 in which the journey to the moon is predicted, which reads: “So, why do they not believe?” may refer to the unbelievers and atheists who remained blind to God’s splendor and wisdom, considering this a victory of science over religion. This misconception accounts for the misinterpretation of God’s ways, namely the fact that science is nothing but the entirety of rules He infused into matter. They labor under the delusion that science and religion vie for supremacy. The origin of science and religion is God. Two things that emanate from God cannot be contradictory. Any contradiction may have been due either to scientific errors or to bigoted theologians who dared to make announcements in the name of God. Verse 21, coming after the verses that I have analyzed in this section, is as follows:
21- And when the Quran is read to them, they do not fall prostrate.
84-The Splitting, 21
THE MOON HAS SPLIT
1- The Hour has come closer and the moon has split (shaqqa).
54-The Moon, 1
There is another indication in the Quran in the above verse referring to the landing on the moon. In order to have a better insight into this, let us dwell on the connotation of the Arabic word “shaqqa” which, among its multifarious meanings, signifies “rending asunder,” “splitting,” “fissuring;” it may also signify plowing the soil.
25- We pour forth water in abundance.
26- And We split (shaqqa) the earth in fragments.
80-He Frowned, 25-26
As we see, to describe the fissures made by water on the earth’s soil, the same word “shaqqa” is used. One of the most important events that occasioned man’s visit to the moon was the sampling of the soil on the surface of the moon. The surface of the moon was fissured by man for the first time in history. The term “shaqqa” may refer to this cleavage. We have examined the 1st verse of the sura “The Moon.” The 2nd verse of the same sura addresses the wrongdoers who preferred to ignore the evidences of God.
2- Yet if they see a sign they turn away and they say, “A continuous sorcery!”
54-The Moon, 2
LAYERS OF HEAVENS
3- He created the seven heavens (skies) in layers. You do not see any imperfection in the creation by the Gracious. Turn your eyes again. Do you see any flaw?
67-The Kingdom, 3
The statement in the Quran about seven heavens may be interpreted as seven different strata, seven different dimensions or seven different fields of attraction. A closer analysis of the atmosphere, which, to the naked eye may present uniformity, makes it clear that it is not actually so.
The different layers of our atmosphere could not have been known at the time of the Prophet. This fact cannot have been established fortuitously. The Quran refers to different layers in the atmosphere in perfect accord with each other. One can also conjecture that such layers can exist in space. The creation of these harmonious layers is a phenomenon visible from the microcosm of the atom to the macrocosm of the universe. Let us remember the layers and orbits of the electron around the nucleus of the atom. The fact that the maximum number of orbits in the atom is seven may also be significant.
The number seven has special connotations in the Quran. As a matter of fact, “seven” in Arabic, also expresses a plurality; the expression “seven heavens,” may either mean the number seven as the actual number of heavens, or a plurality of heavens. This usage of “seven” in the Arabic has been commented upon throughout history by many exegetics. In the sura Luqmaan, 27th verse, the expression “seven seas” is used and in the sura Repentance, verse 80 states that: “Even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, God will not forgive them.” So, it is said that both “seven” and “seventy” express a plurality. A similar usage of the number “seven” expressing a plurality may also be seen in ancient Greek and Roman.
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE OBJECTIVES THEY SERVE
We know now that atmosphere is made of layers that make life on earth possible. The absence of any one of these layers would be the end of life on earth. God, whose flawless art is conspicuous everywhere, displays once again His design by drawing attention - in the Quran - to atmospheric layers. Each of these layers dutifully performs its function contributing to the perfect performance of the whole. The fact that the lifeless atoms of the atmosphere are in the service of man, as if forming a conscious entity, is a consequence of God’s compassion.
The atmosphere is divided into layers, of which the (1) Troposphere is the lowest layer, closest to the surface of the earth. The Troposphere, which is as low as six km, extends to a height of 12 km at the equator. Atmospheric phenomena take place within the portion of three to four kilometers from the surface. 75% of atmospheric gases are in this layer. Above the Troposphere is the (2) Stratosphere extending about 50 km up. The third is (3) the Ozonosphere, the ozone layer in other words, which is the protector from ultraviolet rays having lethal effects on living beings. Above lies the (4) Mesosphere which in turn, is topped by the (5) Thermosphere followed by the (6) Ionosphere, the upper layer reaching to a height of 500 km from the earth. Radio waves are reflected from this layer, rendering communication possible. Above 500 km lies the fringe region known as the (7) Exosphere, extending up to 10,000 km. The proportion of gases in this layer is very low and divided into ions. We can thus divide the atmosphere into 7 layers. The number 7 may change of course, if researchers prefer examining these layers by different groupings.
However it is interesting to find that the commonly agreed classification of atmospheric layers supports the Quranic information and it is beyond mere interest when we evaluate it together with all other scientific remarks in the Quran. Even if the reader does not find this classification persuasive, then he or she may subscribe to the alternative understanding that the figure seven expresses a plurality, without bringing any change in the miraculous significance of the verse. This double meaning of “seven layers” thus leaves no loopholes. Separating the atmosphere into harmonious layers is a modern discovery. The level of scientific knowledge at the time of the descent of the Quran did not permit making differentiation between the layers of atmosphere. Verse 12 of sura 41 reads: “So He ordained them seven heavens (skies) in two days (periods) and revealed in every heaven its affair...” making it clear that every layer served a different purpose, thanks to which life on earth was possible.
LAYERS OF EARTH
12- It is God who created the seven heavens and of the earth the same number. The commands flow among them that you may know that God has power over everything and everything is held within the knowledge of God.
65-Divorce, 12
The 12th verse of sura 65 mentions the seven heavens and as many layers in the earth. We already saw that the seven layers of the heavens were in perfect harmony with each other, each performing its duty impeccably. The 12th verse of the 65th sura establishes a similarity between the heavens and the earth.
Our earth is also stratified as the heavens are, and our life on earth depends on these layers. In the Arabic community of the Prophet’s time, the surface of the earth was an expanse full of mystery. The knowledge prevalent at the time did not permit man to have an inkling of the stratigraphy. The fact that the statement in the Quran of the atmospheric layers is almost a replica of this stratification of the earth is another miracle.
LIFE DEPENDENT ON TERRESTRIAL STRATA
As I have already pointed out in previous chapters, the Quran’s statements are not meant to be miracles as such. But the fact that these statements reflect at the same time actualities beyond the grasp of the scientific lore of the Prophet’s time points to announcements of miraculous dimensions. Our aim is not only to establish truths expressed therein, but rather to meditate upon the wonderful designs of God. Thanks to the matter forming the substance of the core that is one of the layers of our sphere, a magnetic field is produced around our world, making life on earth possible. Had the dynamo in the center of the earth been a little bit weaker, the magnetic field around the earth known as the Van Allen belts (belts of intense radiation in space about the earth formed by high-energy charged particles which are trapped by the geomagnetic field) would fail to form an obstacle sufficient enough to stop the lethal radiation threatening our world. The harmony in the concentration of such substances as nickel and iron in liquid form within the core of the earth renders possible the function of the Van Allen belts. All these minutely calculated designs are created in perfect order by our Creator in preparation for man’s emergence upon the earth.
It took our earth billions of years to cool (it is estimated that the earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago). Despite this fact, the core of the earth contains lava, the temperature of which is extremely high. The proportion of the upper crust of the earth, of the soil - on which we live - to the world, may be likened to the ratio of the peel of an apple to its mass. The proportion of the crust of the earth to the diameter of the world is less than 1%. We are far from being conscious of this fact as we read our book, go on a walk, eat and talk. The terrific phenomena occurring in the core of our earth have little unwanted effect on our condition upon the earth where we continue to live as if by the side of a calm lake. These occurrences we qualify as terrific because the high temperatures and magnetic phenomena are in actual fact necessary for our survival. Our existence depends on these phenomena without being adversely effected. The phenomena in question
are far from fortuitous and beyond our control. God is the Author of all these correlated phenomena. It is incumbent upon us to give thanks to our Creator in full consciousness of our human frailty for all the beauties and perfection we are witnessing.
NUMBER OF LAYERS
The earth is made of many different and distinct layers. The deeper layers are composed of heavier metals; they are hotter, denser and under much greater pressure than the outer limits. One of the layers is the Oceanic Crust (1), and another one is the Continental Crust (2). Beneath is the Upper Mantle (3). Another layer is the Asthenosphere (4) that exhibits plastic properties. Beneath is the Lower Mantle (5). The Outer Core (6) is underneath; its liquid content with the dynamo effect generated by the rotating of the earth forms the protective magnetic field around it. And the last layer is the Inner Core (7).
We see that our world is made of layers whose raw material and function vary. The figure 7 is again indicated in the Quran for the layers of the earth. If the two layers are integrated into a single layer for study purposes, changing the figure 7, then the meaning of 7 in the Arabic language must be taken as a plurality. A detailed examination of God’s wonderful world shows that God has power over all things and that God comprehends all things in His knowledge, as it is said in the verse which we examined in this chapter.
WELL PROTECTED ROOF
32- And We made the sky a well protected roof. Still they turn away from its signs.
21-The Prophets, 32
The atmosphere is a gaseous envelope of 10,000 km surrounding our planet, invisible to the eye. Millions of meteorites of varying sizes keep falling from space in the direction of our world. Despite its transparent structure, our atmosphere puts up a bold front against this meteorite bombardment like a steel shield. Had it not been for this feature, there would have been no life on earth, and our world would have been riddled with holes. We witnessed a sample of it when we landed
on the moon. Meteor showers kept hitting the surface and the meteoric bodies of greater volume penetrated the crust of the moon, digging deep holes on it. Meteors strike the molecules in the atmosphere with a great speed, and the heat generated turns them into dust particles before disappearing in the air.
The atmosphere also has the function filtering the harmful rays of the sun, protecting life on earth against extinction. This ingenious design partially absorbs incident electromagnetic radiation. Thus, the atmosphere filters the rays harmful to life while letting the rays that foster life on earth pass through. The heavens perfectly perform the duties and functions apportioned to them by God, and unfold before the eyes of those able to discriminate intelligent and teleological creation.
The verse refers once more to the dogmatic disbelievers blind to these marvels. All these formations in the atmosphere show the design behind them, namely, the creation and perpetuation of life. The approximate temperature in space is -270 degrees Celsius. Our earth is protected against this cold thanks to the atmosphere. The atmosphere prevents the energy directed to the earth from going back to space. The atmosphere arranges an even distribution of heat on earth by meteorological phenomena. A hot air mass is thus carried to parts less warm in the atmosphere, establishing a balance between the overheated equatorial and the cold polar regions. Protection from the lethal cold and heat is secured thanks to the perfect design of the atmosphere. The Arabic word “sema” (meaning sky, heaven in addition to its signification of atmosphere) may have the connotation of the entirety of space and the phenomena taking place in it, as well.
VAN ALLEN BELTS
The Van Allen belts protect us against radiation bombardment. Had it not been for this, life on earth would have been impossible. The lethal cosmic rays coming from the stars other than the sun cannot penetrate this shield. These plasma clouds can reach 100 billion-fold the value of the atom bomb dropped over Hiroshima. Thanks to the Van Allen belts at a distance of 60,000 km from the world, the solar winds cannot penetrate the earth we live in. The “Well protected roof” in the verse 21:32 was the result of the speed of rotation of our world, its position in relation to the sun, the structure, the shape and thickness of atmospheric layers, the structure of the core of the earth, the proportion of the constituents in its composition and the perfect and harmonious combinations of a multitude of parameters have made this possible. The Author of all these prerequisites for our life cannot be other than the Creator Himself. Logic and conscience cannot accept that all these protective measures in the sky have come about fortuitously and that the Quran was the product of a human intellect and genius.
RETURNED BY THE SKY
11- By the sky that returns
86-The Knocker, 11
The Arabic word “raj” means “to return, to turn.” Rain is a prerequisite for the perpetuation of life on earth. The water that the sun’s rays causes to evaporate does not disappear into space. Rain and water also returned to earth at the time of the Prophet, but scientific knowledge to explain the process was lacking. Once the layers of the atmosphere came to be differentiated, it was understood that the Troposphere, which is one of these layers, prevented the escape of vapor into space and contributed to the perpetuation of life on earth. This layer sends the condensed vapor back to earth in the form of precipitation.
Most of the phenomena that we have studied during our examination of the verse and in which the sky was likened to “a well protected roof” occur thanks to the sky’s return of certain things. The sky protects our world by sending back the radioactive particles, radiation and harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the space. While it reflects back to space what is harmful for man, it prevents the evaporated water necessary for life on earth from leaving the atmosphere. The Quran’s reference to this characteristic of sky, explored only in the last century, cannot be explained by the lore of the contemporaries of the Prophet.
UMBRELLA UNAFFECTED BY ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES
If the atmosphere had not been endowed with this capacity, the maintenance of a desired temperature to foster life on earth would be impossible. Life is possible only within a narrow temperature bracket. In the spectrum of heat ranging from the temperature in the sun to absolute zero, life thrives only in a span of less than 1%. Once attained, maintenance of this 1% span is difficult. A sudden fall and rise in temperatures would also be deadly. For instance, when we feel comfortable, say at an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, we witness a sudden increase of temperature, rising as high as 100 degrees Celsius or there is a sudden fall to -100 degrees Celsius, destruction would be imminent. The atmosphere’s returning power maintains stability.
The composition of the atmosphere is as follows: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% carbon dioxide plus other gases. These rates are ideal for life on earth. If, for instance, the proportion of oxygen rose from 21% up to 22%, the chance of lightning likely to start a forest fire would increase by 70%. Had the oxygen and nitrogen rates in the atmosphere been in excess of what they actually are, vital functions gaining momentum would be to the detriment of life. Had these been inferior, these vital functions would sensibly slow down again, causing great damage to living beings. The steady maintenance of these rates has been possible by a series of phenomena of which the atmosphere’s property of reflection is but one; but the lack of this one characteristic would be fatal. Who would claim that this perfect umbrella immune to all adverse circumstances was a fortuitous event? Who would assert that our being protected and well guarded is the result of happy coincidences that duly perform their duties in keeping for us the water and the air vital for our survival? Our Creator has beyond doubt designed everything to serve its purpose before infusing life to us. The Quran He has sent was meant to enable us to behold His wonderful creation.
27- Not without purpose did We create heaven and earth and all between! Such is the thinking of those who disbelieve.
38-Sad, 27
HEAVENS NOT SUPPORTED BY PILLARS
2- God is He who raised the heavens without any pillars...
13-The Thunder, 2
The fact that the Quran speaks of scientific phenomena that could not be accessible to the level of knowledge at the time of the Prophet is a miracle in itself. While trying to emphasize this feature of the Quran, we often stressed that the Quran had, 1400 years ago, spoken of scientific facts that have only come to light in recent years, if not in the course of the twentieth century. One of the facts that could not possibly be attained by observations and research at the time of the Prophet is given in the verse quoted above. However, this discovery is certainly not of recent date. But at the time of the descent of the Quran, there was no general consensus about this. Even after the time of the Quran’s descent there were still people who believed that the world abutted mountains at both extremities.
For instance, in the New American Bible, a picture is drawn to show how the authors of the Bible imagined the world. In that picture, the sky resembles an overturned bowl and is supported by columns (The New American Bible, St Joseph’s Medium Size Edition, and pp. 4-5). Ibn Abbas (d. 687 AD), Mujahid (d. 718 AD) and Ikrima (d. 733 AD) believed in the existence of pillars (mountains) supporting the sky, too. These persons asserted that the Quran’s verses referred only to what was visible and that in the portion of space invisible to the eye the pillars held up the sky. This had also been the contention of the Babylonians who believed that the sky abutted on mountains at its extremities. At the time of the Prophet, mankind did not know that the earth was spherical and that traveling in opposing directions led two people to the same spot. Therefore, the said subject of debate could not scientifically be accounted for at the time of the Prophet. Moreover, such a bold statement would have had deleterious effects on the Prophet’s credibility, and objections would not tarry to arrive. Those who claimed that Muhammad was the author of the Quran would not be in a position to account for such a statement.
To appreciate better the value of these statements in the Quran, our imagination must go back to the time of the Prophet and try to guess at the mentality of the people. The Quran was revealed at a time when the airplane and the automobile did not exist, when the actual shape of the earth was unknown, when there was no such thing as a world map and when the majority of Arabs were illiterate. This is to remind the persons who claim that the authorship of the Quran should be attributed to the Prophet or to other writers at the time of the Prophet. So, if one considers that the statements of the Quran had been revealed in such a situation, the miraculous character of the explanations may gain a different dimension.
HEAVEN’S SUPPORT
In the long history of the world, man benefited from the atmosphere’s characteristics and advantages without being cognizant of the mystery behind this boon. How did this mass of gases come into being then? How is it that its stability is maintained? The fact that the sky had a “well protected roof” (Ch 19), that it possessed returning and reflecting properties (Ch 20), that it was made of layers, each having its proper function (Ch 17) and that its maintenance was without pillars, all point to the glorious design of God.
Research conducted on planets of the solar system led us to conclude that none of them was surrounded by an atmosphere like the one that surrounds our world; and the way it is designed to make life on earth possible was a proof of the fact that God had decided that life thrives on earth.
The gas molecules upon the surface of the planet move at a tremendous speed. If the gravitational force of the planet overcomes this motion, the planet would attract the gas molecules and the surface of the planet would absorb the gas molecules. On the other hand, if the gas molecules moved rapidly and could escape the planet’s gravitational field, they would pursue their travel in space. So, both the atmosphere and the balances established took place at a stage after the creation of the earth. The expression in the Quran, “He raised the sky, and set the balance” (55-Gracious, 7) is in perfect accord with the formation of the sky and the establishment of balance in it after the creation of the world. The formation of gas molecules in the form of the atmosphere and its fixation was possible only by the establishment of a balance, a balance between the gravitational force of the sphere and the speed at which the gas molecules travel. God contrived a precise balance in order to raise the sky high without pillars.
However, this design had to be coupled with what was necessary for its perpetuity.
41- Verily, God is the One who holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease.
35-The Originator, 41
The establishment of this balance depends on the synchronization of a variety of data. For instance, the heat balance of the surface of the earth depends on the position of the earth in relation to the sun, which, in turn, will affect the motion of gas molecules. The rotation of the earth is an important factor for the homogeneity of heat. If there is an increase in this speed, the atmosphere will scatter; if, on the other hand, this speed slows down, the homogeneity will be upset, for the atmosphere will be absorbed by the soil. For the maintenance of the atmosphere, the difference in temperature between the equator and the polar regions and the chains of mountains like the Himalayas, the Taurus Mountains and the Alps that forestall the terrible consequences that air currents would generate are also important. The chain of mountains contributes to the preservation of the balance by blocking the winds blowing upon the surface of our sphere and gathering the cold air at heights. The gases in the atmosphere also play an important role in the maintenance of the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, whose proportion in the atmosphere is insignificant, has the function of covering the earth as a blanket, thus preventing the loss of heat at night. From the raison d’être of the mountain range to the creation of carbon dioxide, from the magnitude of the earth to the position of the sun, from the balance of heat on the surface of the earth to the characteristics and speeds of gases in the atmosphere, everything has been designed with an unerring precision in perfect conformity. An atmosphere can function without adhering to the earth, without getting scattered in every possible direction, thanks to innumerable conditions.
4- Verily in these things there are signs for those who understand.
13-The Thunder, 4
GEOIDAL FORM OF THE WORLD
30- He made the earth egg-shaped.
79-The Snatchers, 30
The Arabic word “dahw” means rotundity like that of the ostrich’s egg. The above verse was also interpreted to refer to the shaping of the earth in the form of an ostrich egg. Prof. Dr. Suleyman Atefl, former head of Religious Affairs in Turkey, gives the following definition of the word, based on the famous Arabic dictionary Lisan u’l Arab: “The word ‘dahw’ means to spread out, giving (something) a round shape.” The word “dahw” had also been defined as a game played with walnuts. Derived from the same stem, the word “medahi” referred to round stones. Despite the meaning of rotundity concealed in words derived from the word “dahw” there have been translators for whom a spherical earth was difficult to conceive, who had to translate it as “to spread out.” The actual shape of the earth does have the shape of an ostrich egg. Thus the shape of the earth is spheroid with depressions at the poles. The exact figure of the earth which had posed a problem throughout history was established by the Quran.
Even the books written a few centuries after the descent of the Quran likened the shape of the earth to a tray. Beliefs according to which the earth rested on the horns of an ox or was supported by a fish reigned over mentalities in the Arabic peninsula and many believed that earthquakes occurred when the fish down below waved its tail. The Prophet had no ocean-going ship to cross the earth from one extremity to the other, that would have supplied him with evidence proving the spheroid shape of the earth, nor had he a spacecraft from which he could have had an overall view of our world that would have provided him a photographic image of it, as he was not equipped with a camera. Our knowledge of the sphericity of the earth, which seems to us as an established fact, was then beyond the comprehension and imagination of the majority. Therefore, the Quran’s statement to this effect failed to be grasped. Men believed that the verse referred to the plenitude of the earth, ignoring the sense of rotundity.
Thus, at a time when most of the people believed in the shape of earth’s figure as a tray supported by an ox or fish, the Quran had beautifully described its actual shape. The fact that ostriches abounded in the Arabian Peninsula at the time must have permitted those who inquired into this mystery to hold an ostrich egg in their hands and examine it. The geoidal form is a gentle indication of this. The subtlety of the Quran’s expressions provides men with evidence.
174- O people! Verily there has come to you an infallible proof from your Lord. We have sent unto you a manifest light.
4-The Women, 174
ROLLING THE NIGHT OVER THE DAY
5- He created the heavens and the earth truthfully. He rolls the night over the day, and rolls the day over the night...
39-The Throngs, 5
The Arabic word for “roll” is “yukevviru.” The word is used to depict the act of wrapping a turban around someone’s head. This word was also used in the sense of overlapping of the night and day and vice versa. The reason for the day’s turning into night and the night’s turning into day is due to the spheroid form of the earth. In this verse also we observe implied the sphericity of the world.
VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM SPACE ABOVE
During the Prophet’s lifetime it was impossible to scientifically determine the correct view. The scientific demonstration of the statements of the Quran was only possible after the lapse of a millennium. Why were these scientific explanations in the Quran-beyond the comprehension of the Prophet’s contemporaries, contradicting the hypotheses prevalent at the time and likely to cause harm to their messenger, certainly being of no benefit to him? We see that the Quran’s objective is to tell the truth at all costs. The fact that these phenomena could be explained thanks to the advance of science one thousand years later testifies to the universal address of the Quran and its character; it addresses not only its own time, but also the entirety of humanity until the end of the world.
When the astronomers went to space, they bore witness to this statement of the Quran and took photographs. The face of the world facing the sun was day, while the other side was night. The rotation of the world around its own axis made the night and day alternate, and in some parts the transition from day to night took place simultaneously.
The phenomena related to the roundness of the world and the succession of days and nights are the sine qua non conditions of our life on earth. Had our world not been of a spherical shape, had night and day not succeeded each other thanks to its rotation, life on the face of the earth exposed to heat would be extinct and in the portion left in the shade vegetation would not thrive. God’s omniscience, omnipotence and art, His perfect design of everything, and the miraculous character of the Book are better understood as we contemplate them.
DIAMETERS OF THE EARTH AND SPACE
33- O society of jinns and men, cross the diameters of the heavens and the earth, if you have the ability, then pass beyond them. But you cannot, unless you acquire an authorization.
55-Gracious, 33
The Arabic word for diameter is “kutr” of which the plural is “aktar;” this refers to the fact that the heavens and the earth have a plurality of diameters. The Arabic language has a special plural to express “duality;” the word aktar expresses a magnitude superior to one or two. We must be careful in the case of three-dimensional objects; “diameter” exists only in spheroid figures. In the case of a perfect sphere we cannot speak of a plurality of diameters, for, in a perfect sphere, there can be only one diameter. We observe in the verse the use of the plural, which is remarkable.
This verse is particularly important, as it refers to the geoidal structure of the world. Doubts about the spheroid structure of the world were dispelled by the law of gravitation of Newton (1642-1724). Previously it was believed that men, the living beings and the seas beneath the surface of the earth would have fallen down had the world been a sphere. Isaac Newton’s law of gravitation convinced men that their belief was false. Objections to the sphericity of the world were henceforth withdrawn, although many people still adhered to their former convictions. If you spoke of “diameters” of the earth, Newton would have corrected you saying: “the diameter of the earth.” A sphere can have but one diameter but in the geodesic sphere, which is the actual shape of the world, this is possible.
CONFINES OF SPACE
The mention in the verse of “the diameters of the heavens” is also significant. Until man took cognizance of the primeval explosion and the
expanding universe, many scientists believed space to be infinite. Space continuously expands and wherever it expands a new and still larger diameter is formed (this was explained in Ch. 1, 2 & 3). As a matter of fact, scientists have likened space to an inflating balloon in accord with the statement of the verse. Measurements taken at various spots in space would give different diametrical results, while even these measurements taken would change every instant. The use of the plural for the diameter of the heavens is of towering importance, since there is more than just one diameter and because the concept of infinite space is refuted.
The equatorial axes and the diameters in between the equatorial axis will be the longest, while the shortest diameter will be in the polar region. Other diameters will range in between. The diameter measured from the level of the poles to the end point of the atmosphere, the one drawn from the equator to the end point of the atmosphere, and the diameters in between differ also.
We should like to draw your attention to a point. In a good many translations of the Quran there are references to the confines of the earth and the heavens, to its periphery and contours and frontiers, and the word “diameters” is skipped. Indeed, the extremities of the diameter of an area give the contour, the limits and the periphery of that area. We draw the attention of translators to this subtle point.
THE EARTH DOES ROTATE EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT CONSCIOUS OF IT
88- When you look at the mountains, you think that they are standing still. But they are moving like clouds. Such is the artistry of God, who disposes of all things in perfect order. He is indeed fully aware of what you do.
27-The Ant, 88
The mountains’ features seem to make them the most stationary components of the earth’s surface. The idea of the unattainability of mountains led certain primitive mentalities to believe in polytheism and fancy that the mountains were the abode of divinities. The idea of mountain peaks being beyond man’s reach was an illusion, as was also their stationary aspect. The verse refers to this illusion and speaks of the motion of mountains like clouds. If the mountains that had a stationary aspect did move, it would follow that the earth itself also moved. The verse thus dismisses the idea of a fixed world entertained as a consequence of false perception, and informed the public of the time of the movement of mountains, likening them to clouds.
This sign, beyond the grasp of the public contemporary with the Prophet, led people to believe that it was a premonitory sign foretelling the end of the world. Even someone who had no knowledge of the Arabic language could see that this interpretation was groundless and conflicting with the Quran. In the verse it is stated that men believe that the mountains are stationary, but this is an illusion. It is impossible to deduce from the mountains in motion that this is to take place at the end of the world.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE EARTH DID ROTATE?
These false assumptions deduced during the first century after the Prophet may be condoned after we read the commentaries of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz from Saudi Arabia. As late as the 1970s, he claimed that the earth did not move and that anyone who asserted the contrary was considered to have committed a blasphemy. The Saudi Sheikh spoke as follows: “Anyone who thinks otherwise would be considered to have gone astray and be called on to repent. If he does repent, so much the better, if not, he will be declared to have uttered a blasphemy and be put to death, his estate being forfeited by the treasury of the Muslim State. If the earth rotated as they asserted, lands, mountains, trees, rivers and seas would turn into an absolute chaos. The Western lands would have changed directions and shifted to the East. And the Eastern lands would shift to the West changing the direction of the Kýbla Mecca), henceforth impossible to determine. As none of these happenings are observed, the assertion that the world is in motion is a false statement for many reasons.”
We see that the opinions entertained about the stationary character of the earth were so firm that bigoted theologians disregarding the revelations of the Quran could utter that anyone who thought that the earth moved had to be subjected to capital punishment in the twentieth century! The Quran is full of miraculous revelations, but there is no end to the lies concocted in the name of religion. The people who took as their guide such concoctions and merely read the Quran as a textbook without understanding its meaning have done the greatest harm to religion. One must understand the reliability of the Quran and avoid all superstitions.
GALILEO’S ORDEAL
Though historically it is a rare and anecdotal reaction and not shared by many Muslim scholars, I mentioned the bigoted reaction of a scholar who railed against the idea of a rotating earth. The case of Galileo, however, is known all over the world. Galileo was an Italian astronomer and physicist, one of the founders of modern science; he believed that the universe was created by God. His empirical and observational scientific approach enabled him to be a pioneer in many fields of science. His ordeal is well known. His postulation that the earth rotated caused him to undergo terrible and painful experiences. The Church had adopted the views of Aristotle and Ptolemy on the universe and the world. This conception posited that the earth remained fixed while the sun revolved around the moon. The Church adopted this earth-centered view as its official credo. The Church propounded all its views as the reflection of God’s will; to oppose them was tantamount to taking a stand against God. We witness once more that one of the main sources of commentaries trying to show that religion and science are mutually exclusive were ignorant dogmatic bigots and the religious establishments under their domination. So has been the case with Islam.
Once man ceases to mix his own ideas with God’s, the problem will be solved. Otherwise, man will continue committing the sin of mixing his views with God’s revelations. Galileo Galilei, like Copernicus and Kepler, argued that the earth moved and the sun stood in the center. According to their contention, the earth had no central position. The Church was not as tolerant as it had been in the case of Copernicus and Kepler. Galileo’s adoption of the Copernican system was refuted by the Church, and under threat of torture from the Inquisition, he was forced to publicly recant his heretical views. This was not the end of the ordeal; he still had to face material and spiritual tortures. He was forced to spend the last eight years of his life under house arrest. The story of the Church and Galilei illustrates best the quarrel between “religion” and science. But the fact remains that the original religion as such was not to blame, but the so-called representatives of fabricated religion were. The Quran warns us against those people who will show up and present themselves as spokesmen of God’s religion as well as against the ignominies perpetrated for material gains.
34- O believers, many rabbis and priests devour the substance of men and hinder them from the way of God.
9-Repentance, 34
We must beware of the class of the unenlightened and opportunistic who call themselves representatives of religion. True enlightenment is possible only by guiding ourselves by the precepts of the Quran. To adopt the Quran as our guide is the remedy against superstitions and the sine qua non of coming face to face with the truth.
MOUNTAINS IN MOTION
The verse we are studying in this chapter may have another sign, as well. The terrestrial crust moves as if floating on the mantle, which is denser. This was the reason why the continents, once a whole, were severed from each other. The ideas posited by German meteorologist and geologist Alfred Wegener in an article published in 1915 made him the first serious proponent of the theory of the continental drift. His theory was not espoused by most geologists of his time. It is, however, accepted now as correct in principle. The continental drift is the concept of continent formation by the fragmentation and movement of masses of land on the surface of the earth. The seas and lands are in collision with each other like floating rafts on a lake, sometime overlapping each other. Their speeds vary between 3cm and 15cm per year. Thus, the mountains, that appear stationary to us, are in fact in motion along with the earth, as well as with the continent of which they form a part.
The world we inhabit rotates around its axis and revolves about the sun in its rapid course in space along with the solar system; in addition, we must take into account the world’s movement in relation to the moon. We shall include also the gravitational force of other planets. Unconscious of all these phenomena, we sleep tightly, enjoy our meals with relish, and take pleasure in reading and doing sports. A car is considered super when it does not let us feel we are riding in it. Our
world travels at an immense speed and follows extremely complex courses unpiloted, without our being consciously affected by them. The verse we analyzed at the beginning of this chapter is an evidence of the incontestable perfection of God’s design.
FECUNDATING WINDS
22- And We send the fecundating winds.
15-Hijr, 22
Research conducted on physical phenomena and plants demonstrated the importance of the fecundating property of winds. Winds play a role in the reproduction of plants by transporting small reproductive bodies produced in pollen sacs of the seed plants. The winds have also the character of fecundating the rain clouds, another essential factor for life on earth.
Before rising to the upper layers of the atmosphere, the gaseous suspension of ultramicroscopic particles of a liquid called aerosol, generated by foaming in seas and other waters, gets mixed with the dust that the winds sweep from the lands. These particles combine with water vapor that condenses around these particles. Had it not been for these particles, one hundred per cent water vapor could not form the cloud. The formation of clouds is the consequence of the winds’ formation of the water vapor in suspension with the fecundating particles they carry. Had the winds failed to perform this duty there would not have been any rain clouds. As there would be no rain, life could not thrive upon the earth. However, winds have other functions as well.
Clouds charged with positive and negative electricity, weighing tons, are swept by winds. Without winds there would be no clouds; even if we assume that they did form, the water would then fall down upon the seas and waters over which they condensed, and human beings, plants and the animal kingdom would be deprived of their benefit. So the clouds are formed thanks to winds, and it is thanks to winds that rains fall over the land. Life can only thrive upon the earth thanks to rain. We are witnessing again the perfect design of our Creator.
WINDS’ WONDERFUL SYSTEM
The Quran stresses the great role of the wind, an essential for our lives; another example of the generosity of our Lord. Indeed, the rain is affected, among other things, by the rotation of the earth, by the topography, by the low and high pressure zones, etc. If our world did not have an inclination of 23.5 degrees, the cooling and the effect of the sun on the North and South poles would not be subject to daily change. The difference of temperature between the equator and the poles is reduced, the consequence being moderately blowing winds. If the topography of the world had been different, the winds blowing from the poles to the equator and from the equator to the poles might turn into ravaging storms.
Mountains, planes and plateaus are designed so as to allow the winds to penetrate every nook and corner, creating warm and cold front systems. The wind, the rain, the mountain, the rotation of the earth and the heat are interconnected. Whoever created one of these elements is also the Author of the rest. This interconnection cannot be refuted. This interrelatedness is another evidence of the oneness of the Creator. All these subtleties, perfections and details are meant to reflect His artistry, wisdom and unlimited power.
When a breeze blows, refreshing the sultry atmosphere we are breathing, let us remember His munificence, as we take delight in having been caressed by it. The wind is mathematics, art, power and science all at the same time. All these phenomena bespeak a perfect design behind them and show that we are not forlorn abandoned figures.
The wind, regardless whether it is a gentle breeze, a brisk northern wind or a sultry south wind, is still the one designed by our Creator, governed by physical laws without which man cannot survive.
5-...and the manipulation of the winds are signs for those who understand.
45- Kneeling, 5
CLOUDS AND THE PROCESS OF RAIN
43- Do not you see that God drives the clouds, then joins them together, then piles them on each other, then you see the rain comes forth from between them. And He sends down hail from the sky, where there are mountains of it. And strikes those with it whom He will and diverts it from whomever He wills. The vivid flash of its lightning nearly blinds the sight.
24-The Light, 43
Water is life. The greater portion of water that is the basic need for the living beings on earth is in continuous motion and transformation. The uninterrupted sequence of these successive transformations is referred to as cycling. Water is always present in the air. It goes without saying that this state of water differs from its state in the seas and rivers. The formation of clouds by water in the state of vapor, the transformation of these clouds into rainwater and their falling upon the earth as precipitation are the result of God’s impeccable cycling system. More than 1400 years ago, the Quran began to draw our attention to the facts that today can be established only by the help of satellites. Scientists studied types of clouds and established that they were the consequence of well-designed systems and stages. Meteorologists examined the cumulonimbus clouds. The stages they described tallied with the process described in the sura The Light, verse 43.
1- Clouds move thanks to winds: The fact that the wind is the primary cause in the process of the formation of clouds that generates rain is depicted in the sura, The Romans, verse 46 (In the previous chapter, we saw the role played by wind in the formation of clouds).
2- Joining: Then the small clouds combine to form a single large cloud.
3- Piles them on each other: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the center of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere where drops of water and hail formulate. When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc.
GENIUS OF A MAN?
Meteorologists have acquired what they know about the formation, structure and function of clouds only in recent years by the help of satellites, computers and balloons. It is significant to read about the formation of clouds in the Quran. Today’s data are obtained through the use of instruments and satellites that have a panoramic view of clouds from above, otherwise, it would be impossible for men living on the surface of the earth to have an insight into the updraft in the clouds during their formation and the precipitation emerging from this cloud expanding vertically.
In the verse above, the simile of “mountain masses” is an apt one, since the cumulonimbus rain clouds at an altitude of 5-6 km present a formation like a mountain.
While the verse reveals knowledge unavailable at the time of the Prophet, there is no mention whatsoever of the misconceptions of the time. Up until the 1600s the western world was dominated by the meteorological lore of ancient Greece, itself a hotchpotch of correct and wrong data. It was believed that the atmosphere was made up of two different types of vapor, namely the dry and the moist; that thunder was the outcome of the collision of dry clouds with their neighbors, and that the flash of lighting was produced by the kindling of the dry vapor. In the verse in question no such false information has been provided, while a description is made of the flash of lightning, along with the downfall of rain and hailstones, establishing a link between them. The lightning flash in atmospheric electricity is the total observed luminous phenomena accompanying a lightning discharge, which is a series of electric processes by which change is transferred within the atmosphere along a channel of high ion density between electric charge centers of opposite sign. The water droplets within the clouds are a source of electricity. The water droplets falling down as a result of gravitation break down into yet smaller droplets with positively charged electricity while the surrounding atmosphere is negatively charged. The electric charge of droplets increases at each division into smaller units. Along with the emergence of the electrical charge as a consequence of disintegration of water droplets, the ice crystals at the upper portion of the cloud gain positive electricity charge, thus separating from the atmosphere with negative charge and increasing the electrical charge of the cloud. This process results in an electric arc, i.e., a flash of light. The verse draws attention to the connection of the precipitation with the flash of lightning, leaving out the wrong information that attributes this process to the kindling of clouds. Describing the meteorological process that creates rain accurately, while eliminating the false ideas predominant at the time successfully, cannot be explained as pure coincidence or the genius of a man.
12- It is He who shows you the lightning for fear and hope,
and raises heavy clouds.
13-The Thunder, 12
DUE MEASURE IN RAIN
11- And He is the One who sends down water in due measure from the sky, to revive dead lands therewith. Similarly you will be raised.
43-Vanity, 11
Rain is one of the gifts of God to man. In the verse above, God says that the rain has its own mathematics and that it is sent according to “due measure.” Water on earth is subject to an impeccable process and passes in due order from the state of liquid to the state of gas and solid. It has a marvelous balancing power, as it balances energy while satisfying the vital needs of the living being.
You would not have gotten an answer if you were, a century back, to ask a scientist whose field of interest was rainfall in particular, “Is there a measure in the rainfall; can it be quantified?” Being ignorant of the meteorological phenomena going on in every part of the world, the scientist would not have been in a position to say anything on the issue. The Quran told us 1400 years ago that the rainfall had a certain measure. Research conducted in the last century revealed the process of rainfall, shedding light over the cycling characteristics of water. One of the facts discovered was that the earth’s annual rainfall was always of the same amount. The amount per second varied between 16-17 million tons. Thus, the amount of rain falling was above 500 trillion tons a year while an equal amount evaporated. These yearly values remain constant. This constancy was of great significance in establishing the ecological balance of the world. The scientist of a few centuries back could not have estimated the amount of the rainfall in the region where he lived since the precipitation yearly changed according to region. He might have concluded, therefore, that rain is not quantifiable.
CALCULATIONS RELATED TO WATER CYCLE
The rainfall and cycle of water involve complicated calculations. To give you an example, researchers were curious to know the reason for the maximum temperature of the upper portion of the tropical ozone layer which was maximum 28 degrees Celsius, despite the sun’s continual warming of the water. Their research produced the following finding: the factor that prevented the overheating of the ozone layer in warmer regions was not merely water vapor, but at the same time the shadow cast by clouds. In the shade, the temperature dropped. The shield prevented the earth from overheating. Water vapor also exerts a greenhouse effect. Along with carbon dioxide, methane and other gases, it creates an invisible insulation layer in the atmosphere. This layer prevents the totality of every radiation coming down on earth under normal conditions from getting lost in the space where cold is reigning. Water vapor forms 60% of the “natural greenhouse effect,” making the basic climate of the earth relatively warm. All these things are finely calculated; we can gain an insight into this if we examine the greenhouse clouds revolving around the planet Venus. The dense clouds muffle it, so that only half of the sun’s rays reach it. The quantity of 97% carbon dioxide there creates a super greenhouse effect and the temperature rises up to 500 degrees Celsius. This temperature far exceeds the temperature range in which man can live. The water cycle on earth, passing through the states of liquid, cloud and water vapor, is calculated with precision. In contradistinction with the general properties of water, the clouds do not freeze, even at a temperature of - 30 degrees Celsius. As it is stated in the Quran, there are masses of clouds as large as mountains, but they do not freeze into mountains of ice to fall upon the earth. Had it not been for this precise calculation in the formation of clouds and the rainfall and for the ideal arrangement of the chemical composition of water by its Creator, the system would certainly not function.
When we throw an object of a few kilograms from a balcony, we can follow its descent. If we empty a large pan full of water from the balcony, we can observe the splash on the ground. The fall of tons of water from above, thanks to God’s programming, is so arranged that water coming down in drops from above is a blessing rather than a natural disaster. This is the wonderful artistry in the physical rules imposed by God. Such a balancing of acceleration is definable in physical formulas. This definability, this calculation is due to God’s creation of rain in “due measure.”
RAIN IS LIFE
In the same verse, God speaks of the rain’s regenerative power. It is a well-known fact that dry land is revitalized by rain and the vegetation becomes lush once again. The basic element of the animate being is DNA in which the hydrogen bonds keep changing, perpetuating life. This hydrogen is exchanged with the hydrogen that emerges during the ionization of water. A dehydrated living being is like a frozen skeleton even though it may preserve its DNA and genetic code; it cannot reproduce or move. Only when the water comes up and lends the hydrogen from its disintegrated ions can the code be activated. Such characteristics can be observed in living microorganisms like microbes. The more developed living beings cannot recover their vitality when fresh water is supplied, as their tissue surfaces have already deteriorated. Rain is thus the source of regeneration of plants and bacteria. The last sentence of the verse that reads: “Similarly you will be raised” evokes the following association in our mind: God sends down rain in predetermined amounts, by which plants and bacteria that are near death are resuscitated. The rising of man from the dead is no problem for God, who knows the measure of all things.
God, who devised the system of regeneration of plants and bacteria through a well-calculated amount of rain, will raise man from the dead according to the measures and knowledge in His wisdom. The sprouting of vegetation from the dead soil is something our eyes behold. What we see is the evidence of the facility by which our Creator will re-create His creation whose measure, calculation and formula are known only to Him.
UNDERGROUND WATERS AND WATER CYCLE
21- Do not you see that God sends down water from the sky and places it into underground springs.
39-The Throngs, 21
The rainfall and its role in our lives as mentioned in the Quran give us correct information. Had we been living in some other periods of history, we could not have grasped it. Now we are in a position to understand this, as the world’s water cycle has been made clear by the
knowledge provided by contemporary science. If we compare the ancient lore about water with the information contained in the Quran, we realize that the Quran’s communications are free from errors, as always.
Let us take up the verse of the Quran that speaks of the formation of underground waters as a consequence of the rainfall (sura 39, verse 21). Was this fact, which is no mystery for us today, as clear in the minds of the ancients as it is in ours? Two specialists, G.Castany and B. Blavoux, give the following account: “According to Thales, the waters of the ocean that gushed out in the air by the pressure exerted by winds blowing from the depths of continents fell back down, penetrating the earth. Plato shared this view and believed that its return to the ocean was caused by a huge whirlpool. Aristotle contended that the vapor that rose from the earth condensed in the cool recesses of mountains, forming subterranean lakes and spring waters that were fed by these lakes. The first significant discovery of water’s perpetual cycle was by Bernard Palissy in 1580. According to him, underground springs were formed by the penetration of rain water into the earth.”
The view adopted during the Middle Ages was Aristotle’s. According to this erroneous view, water springs were fed by underground lakes. Remenieras gives the following account: “The concepts of purely philosophic character about the natural phenomena related to waters had to wait until the Renaissance in order to yield their places to impartial observations. In the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci (1452- 1519) argued against the assertions of Aristotle. Bernard Palissy in his work ‘Discours admirables sur la nature des eaux, des fontaines, de la terre, etc.’ gives a clear account of water’s perpetual cycle with special reference to feeding of underground springs by rainwater.” The knowledge that underground springs were fed by rainwater provided in the Quran was first postulated in the 16th century in Europe against Aristotle’s contention. The prominent figures of philosophy like Thales, Plato and Aristotle had made errors in the accounts they gave of water. Muhammad in the desert, who had no other claim than that of being a messenger of God, proved to be correct when he uttered the related statements of the Quran.
203- Say: “I follow only what my Lord reveals to me.” These are enlightenments from your Lord, and guidance, and mercy for those who believe.
7-The Purgatory, 203
RAINWATER PURE TO DRINK
68- See you the water which you drink?
69- Do you bring it down from the clouds or do We?
70- If We wish, We can make it salty. You should be thankful.
56-The Inevitable, 68-70
All sorts of details related to the water cycle have been impeccably designed by God. The physical laws and the chemistry of water reflect the fine calculations behind it. The fact that rainwater contains no salt is again a blessing. We saw that the rain was the consequence of evaporation of water. More than 90% of water that evaporates has, in its origin, oceans and seas with salt waters. The rules that govern the evaporation of water are arranged in order that the water is purified and disposed of its salt content and other impurities. The water of oceans and seas is not potable, while rainwater is, thanks to the evaporation process.
In the Quran, reference is made to pure water coming from above.
48- “And we send down pure water from the sky”
25-The Distinguisher, 48
The Quran informs us that water was created after the formation
of the earth.
31- From it, He produced its own water and pasture.
79-The Snatchers, 31.
At the time of the Quran’s descent, the first stages of creation of the earth were a mystery. The fact that the emergence of water on the surface of the earth was a phenomenon that took place after the creation of the earth, as mentioned in the Quran, is a miraculous statement. The earth in the beginning was extremely hot. As it gradually cooled down, heavy metals like iron settled in its center, while granite and oxides remained at the upper layers. As a result of the cooling, an outermost solid layer formed. When the surface temperature fell below 100 degree Celsius, the water in the depths rose to the surface, forming the oceans and seas. This emergence of water is in perfect accord with the account given in the Quran.
PROPERTIES OF WATER
The proportion of water on the earth is of great importance. Had lands extended into an expanse larger than the seas, the difference between night and day temperatures would have been higher and the greater portion of the living space would turn into a desert. The fact that waters form more than 70% of the surface of the earth is the result of an intelligent design. Had the water displayed disintegrative properties like certain acids during chemical reactions or remained unaffected like argon, it could not perform its function in the universe and in our bodies. Chemical laws have special applications for water, so essential for life. All other substances, whether solid or liquid, contract as they grow cooler. The volume of a substance in solid state is smaller and denser. Water, however, has quite different characteristics. Water, like any other substance, contracts until the temperature drops down to +4 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, as the temperature continues to fall, it begins expanding, unlike other substances. That is, its volume increases. When it freezes, it expands still further. That is why it floats on the surface instead of sinking. All other substances behave differently; in solid state they sink. Thanks to special chemical relations proper to water, life becomes possible in the seas. Had the density of ice been greater than the density of water, the frozen water in lakes and seas would have sunk. And as there would be no layer of ice on the surface, the freezing process would continue upward. In this way, the depth of the oceans, seas and lakes would be transformed into mountains of ice and when the temperature in the atmosphere became warmer only a thin layer of water would thaw; thereby the aquatic life would come to an end.
MARVELLOUS CHAIN AND WEAKEST LINK
The other chemical properties of water are such that they allow life to perpetuate. Thanks to its chemical properties, plants carry water from the depths of the soil up to the top of large trees (which distance can be measured in meters). If the surface tension of water were low, as in the case of many other liquids, the plants could not absorb water. This would be the end of the vegetation and animal kingdom.
We have so far covered many essential subjects vital for our life on earth. The subjects covered ranged from the precise regulation of the velocity of the atom in the aftermath of the primeval explosion to our remoteness from the sun, from the features of the atmosphere to Van Allen belts, from the surface temperature of the earth to the heat in the depths of the earth; the least change in any one of these creations would be the end of our lives. Our life depends on a chain of phenomena with thousands of links, each one being in perfect order and of extremely complex structure. This chain may break at its weakest link. So, the chain’s life entirely depends on that particular link. Supposing that each of the prerequisites making life possible displayed excellent performance of its function; if a seemingly insignificant event like water’s tension were ignored, our life would vanish. All these minutiae are so many evidences of precise calculation by our Creator, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
BARRIER BETWEEN SEAS
19- He has let free the two seas meeting together.
20- Between them there is a barrier which they do not transgress.
55-Gracious, 19-20
A famous French oceanographer, J. Cousteau, gives the following account as a result of his studies in water barriers: “We studied the assertions by certain researchers about barriers separating seas, and noticed that the Mediterranean Sea had its own salinity and density and housed autochthonous fauna and flora. Then we examined the water of the Atlantic Ocean and discovered features entirely different from those of the Mediterranean Sea. According to our expectations, these two seas that merged in the strait of Gibraltar should present similar characteristics in terms of salinity, density and other properties. The two seas presented different features even though they were adjacent. This greatly puzzled us. An incredible barrier prevented the two seas from coming together. The same sort of a barrier had also been observed in Bab Al-Mandab in the Gulf of Aden connecting with the Red Sea.
Subsequent to our observations, further researchers made it clear that the seas which had different characteristics had some barriers.” This fact that astounded oceanographers was revealed 14 centuries ago in the Quran. This aspect, not visible to the naked eye and appearing to be in conflict with the properties of water known to man, was first revealed to men in the Arabian peninsula, men who were not at all experienced in any sense with oceanography.
THE COLORFUL WORLD IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA
The barriers between adjacent seas demonstrate a rich diversity, a result of the perfect planning of God. Wherever we turn our gaze, the complexion of human beings, the infinite diversity of flowers, etc., demonstrate the marvelous diversity of God’s creation. The Quran refers to the waters that do not coalesce. This is because of a physical characteristic called “surface tension.” Thus, neighboring seas present different densities, salinity rates and compositions. These differences enable media that permit different species to coexist. Thus, fish, plants and microorganisms living under water present untold varieties. Water, that usually mixes easily, can turn into a wall thanks to God’s imposition and operation of physical laws, contributing to this variety. This fact is not affected by strong waves and currents. This property to which the Quran refers is a miraculous statement unknown at the time of the Prophet and presents clear evidence for the man of understanding.
53- He is the One who has set free the two seas; one is sweet and palatable, and the other is salty and bitter. And He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed.
25-The Distinquisher, 53
DARKNESS AND INTERNAL WAVES IN THE SEAS
40-... or is like the darkness in a deep sea. It is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which clouds. Darkness, one above another. If a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it. For any to whom God gives not light, there is no light.
24-The Light, 40
The construction of submarines dates back to the 17th century. A vessel that navigated under water was first contrived in 1620 by C. Drebber. Submarines developed rapidly, and in 1954, nuclear submarines were made. The development of submarines made possible the study of submarine geology and topography, and life in the depths of oceans. Collection of data had been possible thanks to the means developed in recent centuries without which a man could not dive to a depth more than 50 meters.
At a depth of 200 meters from the surface of the sea, darkness reigns. At this depth, then, “If a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it,” as described in the verse. The bottom of seas and oceans are pitch dark. While broad daylight reigns on the surface, 200 meters below it is again completely dark. At the time of the descent of the Quran, there were neither scientific data nor knowledge based on observation about the darkness reigning in the depth of seas. Just as it told about many aspects of heavenly phenomena comprehensible by man without the help of satellites, the Quran also provided information about submarine life in the depth of seas and oceans hardly accessible to man without submarines and instruments. The Quran - whose range of information is vast enough to cover everything, from the space high above down to the depth of the seas - itself proves its divine origin by the very fact that it is flawless.
WAVES ABOVE WAVES
In general, we have the impression that the wave only breaks on the surface and that the water underneath is calm and still. That is why the expression in the Quran, “by waves, above which are waves,” may seem puzzling. These waves were discovered in 1900 and are as described in the Quran. The dark depth of the sea contains these waves topped by the waves on the surface.
In the verse, we also observe the motion of light. The sun’s rays are refracted as they strike the clouds and lose some of their luminescence. The rays that reach the surface of the seas diffract as they continue their journey in the spectrum, the first layer holding onto the yellow, while the second holds onto the green; in the last layer, the seventh in fact, the blue disappears. Thus, as the journey goes further downward, light vanishes. The sunlight refracted in the clouds, the light that vanishes in the levels of oceans, completely disappears in the depths of oceans and cannot light the bottom. Not even fish can see their way unless they themselves generate some form of light.
6- Say: “The Quran was sent down by Him, who knows the mystery that is in the heavens and the earth: verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.”
25-The Distinguisher, 6
MOUNTAINS AS PEGS
6- Have We not made the earth habitable?
7- And the mountains as pegs?
78-The Event, 6-7
Mountains are often mentioned in the Quran. The simile of pegs seems to be preternatural in the light of geological findings of the last century. The mountains we observe on the surface of the earth rest on immense strata that may be ten to fifteen times as deep as the portion remaining on the surface of the earth. For instance, the highest mountain on earth, whose peak attains an altitude of 9 km from the ground, possesses a substratum that goes about 125 km into the depths of the earth. For a peg to be able to fulfill its function, the length of the portion stuck in the earth is important. The same holds true for the mountain.
There also exist mountains rising from the bottom of seas that also possess substratum. These substrata support the visible portion of the mountains in accordance with the Archimedean principle. These substrata were unknown until a few centuries back, let alone during the time of the Prophet. The simile in the Quran is once again a miraculous statement.
FUNCTION OF MOUNTAINS
In geology textbooks that have not been updated, information is not available about the role the mountains play, the role of stabilizing the crust of the earth. However, there are some publications on this issue.
The book entitled “Earth” is one of the many now on the market. Frank Press, author of this book, is the president of the Academy of Sciences, adviser to Jimmy Carter, ex-President of the USA. This author likens the mountains to wedges, the greater part of which remain underneath the surface of the earth. In this book, Dr. Press explains the functions of mountains, drawing special attention to their important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. This information exactly matches the statement in the Quran:
31- “And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm lest it should shake with them.”
21-The Prophets, 31
Actually, the crust of the earth floats on a liquid. This outermost layer of the earth extends 5 km from the surface. The depths of the mountain strata go as far down as 35 km. Thus, the mountains are sort of pegs driven into the earth. Just like the pegs used to stabilize a tent on the ground, so these pegs stabilize the crust of the earth. Mountains are the outcome of collisions between strata of the earth’s crust; the result of the encroachment of a given stratum on another one. These strata that go deeper and deeper enable the crust layers to
integrate.
Isostasy is defined in the Webster’s Third New Twentieth Century Dictionary as follows: “Isostasy is the general equilibrium in the earth’s crust, maintained by a yielding flow of rock material beneath the surface under gravitate stress, and by the approximate equality in mass of each unit column of the earth from the surface to a depth of about 100 km.” At a time when mountains were viewed as mere prominences, the Quran’s reference to mountains’ strata invisible to the eye and their stabilization role leaves us in awe.
FAULTS ON THE EARTH’S SURFACE
12- By the fractured earth.
86-The Knocker, 12
In the verse preceding the above verse (The Knocker, verse 11), the returning property of the sky was stressed; this refers to phenomena unknown to men 1400 years ago (Chapter 20 of the present book). In the above verse there are also factual implications that the public during the Prophet’s time did not know. As faults had not yet been discovered, the verse was believed to refer to the opening of the earth for the sprouting of vegetation.
In the post-Second World War years, scientists intensified submarine research activity with a view to having access to precious metals and minerals. During this research work, they came across something quite unexpected; the bottom of the seas were covered with fissures that came to be called “faults” or “cracks.” If we draw an analogy between the period that has elapsed since the second world war until today with the period that has elapsed from the time of the descent of the Quran 1400 years ago, when there was reference to this information in the Quran, we can better appreciate the value of this reference.
EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED
The Quran now draws our attention to the sky, now to the earth, displaying the hidden mysteries and inciting us to inquire into them. As is the case with the sky, so it is with the depths of the earth-endless mysteries waiting to be unraveled. The “fractured earth” referred to in the verse is of towering importance from the point of view of establishing a connection between the magma under the ground and the surface. These cracks also play a decisive role in the formation of the submarine topography.
Information about the faults is also important as it provides us with detailed knowledge about earthquakes. Big earthquakes occur along the fault lines on the crust. Differentiated movements in the huge masses of substrata form a strain along the fault line. The rocks on each side of the cracks try to resist it before the crust gives way.
In any single earthquake, the amount of slip, in other words the relative displacement of the two fault surfaces, may be a few inches, it is so even in big earthquakes. Studies have been carried out on faults to map out the regions likely to suffer greater damages, the requirements for the construction of edifices to resist the tremor.
The greatest fault upon the earth is the one that stretches from Greenland’s offshore to Antarctica. The second largest one stretches along the Pacific Ocean along the Western shore of North and South America. The third important fault lies in the depths of the Asian continent under the Himalayas and follows the South Asian direction. Along with these greater ones there are shorter ones as well. The Quran directs our attention to places where earthquakes can be expected to take place. If we give up our custom of reciting the Quran merely for the souls of those who have departed, and take it as a guide for our life, we can reach the truth hidden in it.
89- We have sent down to you a Book explaining all things, a guide, a mercy and glad tidings for those who submit.
16-The Honeybee, 89
EARTHQUAKES’ MESSAGE AND HEAVY BURDENS
1- When the earth is severely quaked.
2- And the earth throws out its heavy burdens.
3- And man enquires, “What has come over it?”
4- On that day, it will tell its information.
99-The Earthquake, 1-4
The Arabic word “zilzal” means “earthquake.” The above verses are quoted from the sura The Earthquake. These verses are believed to refer justifiably to the earthquake expected to occur in the end of the world; however, we should take due notice of its wider sense, depicting earthquakes in general. The fourth verse announces that men will be informed on that day. A terrible disaster like an earthquake associates in one’s mind destruction in the first place causing material damage and bodily injury, leading to a general terror and panic. This announcement must have astounded the public.
To establish a link between earthquakes and knowledge of certain facts seemed inconceivable to people up until the last century. Today we have a great many data in our possession regarding the ground beneath our feet, thanks to earthquakes. The shortest radius we could draw from where we might be to the center of the earth is longer than 6000 km, a distance we can never cover. Yes, an earthquake provides information about that portion of the earth inaccessible to us. (During the earthquake to take place at the end of the world, it is possible that men will be further enlightened on subjects beyond His prediction. We certainly do not assert that the verse’s meaning is limited to our interpretation.)
BURDENS OF THE EARTH
The second verse of the sura Earthquake is interesting in that it refers to the burdens of the earth. Years have gone by and men have failed to understand what those burdens might be. The widely accepted interpretation was that the sura referred to the earthquake that was going to take place at the end of the world when the dead would be resurrected and treasures hidden underground would rise to the surface. No one could have guessed that the ground beneath was formed of dense and heavy matter that would rise to the surface. References to earthquakes in the Quran contribute to our better appreciation of them. Let us not forget that people believed at the time that the earth rested on the horns of an ox or on a fish whose tail, when it moved, produced earthquakes (The commentary of Ibn Kethir is an example). The fact that the Quran made no reference to such false beliefs is another indication of its miraculous character.
The more we know about the contents of the Quran and about the universe, the more we appreciate God’s artistry and the perfection of his religion.
9- Say: “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only men of understanding take heed.”
39-The Throngs, 9
FORMATION OF PETROLEUM
4- He brings out the pasture
5- Then turns it into a blackish floodwater.
87-The Most High, 4-5
Petroleum is primarily the outcome of a long process during which herbage like algae and fern in the interstices of rocks is exposed to the chemical effects of various bacteria. Today the origin of petroleum is believed to be organic material. Pastures created before man was created were destined to turn in time to petroleum within the framework of the ecological balance of the world. Oily organic residues decomposed beneath the floor of the seas for millions of years. The underlying oily substance eventually was transformed into petroleum.
Petroleum presents the properties of “floodwater.” Petroleum, more often than not, moves away from where it was originally formed. It does not have a settling property. Petroleum behaves like flood liquid, traveling long distances and collecting at spots where it comes across hard rocks without pores. Petroleum beds have been discovered in places where they were found as deposits, hindered from continuing their course.
In brief, petroleum, as described in the verses, is
1. made of organic matter,
2. blackish and
3. moves like floodwater.
PETROLEUM’S PLACE IN OUR LIFE
Until the mid-nineteenth century, crude petroleum was collected at places where it had leaked to the surface. Because it mixed with water where animals quenched their thirst and with wells drilled for drinking water, it was considered to be a nuisance. In the 1850s Ferris, and Kier who succeeded him, initiated studies that led to its use as fuel for lamps. Edwin L. Drake discovered petroleum beds at a depth of 21 meters, on August 27, 1859. As petroleum was more reliable than whale fishing and much cheaper to be consumed as lamp oil there was a ready market; and the petroleum era was thus ushered in.
God had devised the composition of this substance in such a way that it serves different purposes in many aspects of our life. Some of the best known derivatives of petroleum are fuel oil, petrol, and paraffin oil. Derivatives less known find their usage in the manufacture of candles and wax, perfumes and cosmetics, even in substances used in cheese production wherein it prevents the cheese’s decomposition. Still other petrol oils are used in the following products: insecticides, acetone used in nail polish, artificial rubber, plastic material, chemicals used in the production of detergents and certain drugs containing petroleum derivatives. Last but not least, many textile products also contain petroleum in their composition.
The story, whose beginnings go back to the decomposition of pasture, continues with the petroleum beds in the depths of the soil, with the production of detergents, t-shirts and nail polish. In verses 4 and 5 of the sura The Most High, there are allusions to petroleum. The three verses that precede it mention that God said that everything was given in due order and proportion.
1- Glorify the name of your Lord, The Most High
2- Who creates and proportions
3- Who determines in due order and guides.
87-The Most High, 1-3
RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
18- And the dawn as it breathes.
81-The Rolling, 18
The verb to breathe is a term originally used to describe the process in which many living organisms take in oxygen from their surroundings and give out carbon dioxide. But what has respiration to do with the dawn? What brings together these two seemingly incongruous subjects? Does something new happen in the daylight different from the night? These questions were bound to remain unanswered until the time the process of photosynthesis came to light, the synthesis of simple carbon hydrates like glucose and starch from carbon dioxide and water, with the liberation of oxygen, using the energy of light, in green plants chlorophyll being the energy transformer. Nutriments of high-energy content formed as a result of this process, called photosynthesis, are stored in tissues while oxygen is given out. Briefly stated, photosynthesis is a metabolism process in contradistinction with respiration. During respiration, carbon hydrates mix with oxygen, breaking down into the component elements of water and carbon dioxide; the end products of the reactions during respiration are the primary substances of photosynthesis.
This phenomenon takes place only during the day. Photosynthesis is dependent on the energy of light and cannot be realized in the dark. When the “dawn breaks” as described in the verse, light shines and oxygen, the sine qua non of respiration, begins to be given out by plants. This makes clear the reason of juxtaposition of words “breathe” and “dawn” in the verse.
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD THERE BEEN NO PHOTOSYNTHESIS?
Energy is absolutely necessary for living organisms. This energy, which contributes to the functioning of our muscles and heart, and plays an important role in the chemical reactions of our body, is supplied by animal products and vegetables. The primary source of the energy contained in nutriments is the sun. At night, the sun’s rays do not reach us. The “dawn” is the time these rays begin to reach the earth. The plants that receive those rays transform this light energy into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. Regeneration and growth of plant tissues depend on this energy. While the plant continues to grow using this energy, it stores some of it in the form of chemical energy. A man or an animal that consumes this plant receives the energy it contains. This perpetuates the chemical reactions in their bodies and stores energy in their tissues. Consequently, the energy we derive from animal products and plants is the energy coming from the sun through the plants, forming the initial stage of nourishment. Had there been no process that enriched the oxygen in the air, the oxygen available in the atmosphere would have been exhausted by now. Thanks to this process that begins at dawn can we breathe. At the time of the descent of the Quran, people knew nothing about photosynthesis or transformation of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, or again, about the role played by the sun’s rays in the realization of this process. The establishment of such a connection between the dawn and respiration in this verse astounds us once again.
Energy is absolutely necessary for all biochemical processes fundamental to living organisms. The energy is the result of the breaking down into elements of nutriments stored in the cells. When they come into contact with oxygen during this process, the chemical energy stored in molecules of the nutriment is released. This is a reaction similar to the phenomenon that takes place when a piece of wood kindled gives out heat and light. So the act of respiration must not be considered exclusively as an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but as a more complex process that forms the basic energy source of plants and animals.
Had God not created the various requirements for photosynthesis, such as, for instance, the chlorophyll necessary for the plants’ realization of photosynthesis, not a single organism would survive. Like many phenomena in the universe, photosynthesis, the transformation of oxygen and carbon dioxide necessary for respiration, is a part of the great and perfect design.
Knowledge of photosynthesis is of fairly recent origin. Scientists have conducted major research projects; among others, those of the team headed by Melvin Calvin, an American chemical engineer, are of great import. This team was awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1961.
The photosynthesis that enables us to breathe and supply oxygen can be epitomized as follows:
Light energy (coming from the sun) + Carbon dioxide (coming from the air) + Water = Chemical energy + Oxygen.
The chemical formula is:
Light + 6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2
DIFFICULTY OF ASCENDING TO THE SKY
125- ...And whomever He wills to send astray, He makes his bosom narrow and strained as if he was ascending into the sky.
6-The Cattle, 125
A person subject to spells of dejection and who feels strained is likened to a person who is ascending to the sky. We know today that during ascension, atmospheric pressure gradually decreases, rising blood pressure causing strain on the functioning of heart and veins topped by lack of oxygen, which in turn influences the lungs, making one feel constricted. If one persists going even higher, there comes a moment when the individual loses his life.
There were no airships or aircraft at the time of the Prophet. Torricelli was the person who in 1643 invented the mercury thermometer with which he demonstrated that the atmosphere exerted a pressure. To speak of a decrease of pressure at the time was out of the question. Nor was there reliable information about circulation of the blood or lungs. One can guess that men climbed heights and had difficulty breathing as they went higher and higher. In the verse, however, ascension is toward the sky. A person experiencing difficulty of respiration on top of the mountain he has climbed may attribute this difficulty not to the lack of sufficient oxygen at the high altitude to which he has climbed. The verse speaks of a process that takes place as one rises to the sky. The question is not of the experience one has on the top of a hill. Ascension to skies has a much wider connotation.
OPTIMUM PRESSURE AND OXYGEN FOR PERPETUATION OF LIFE
The oxygen and pressure ratio being ideal, a man’s bodily functions run across no difficulty from sea level up to a height of 3000 meters. At altitudes ranging from 3000 to 5000 meters, elevated blood pressure and difficulty breathing are experienced. At an altitude of 7500 meters, the tissues are badly in need of oxygen. Above this height, a person experiences a blackout; the blood circulation, the respiration and the nervous system begin to falter. Changes in atmospheric pressure affect the circulation, increasing the pressure of the blood running through the veins and arteries. The balance of gases in the vacuums of the body and the distribution of gases in the blood and tissues (in particular of the nitrogen) is upset. The mechanical effect of a sudden rise and fall in blood pressure results in the rupture of blood vessels. Effects of the changes in gas volumes may be grouped as follows: eardrum ruptures, inflammation of the middle ear, sinusitis due to change in the volume of air in the sinuses, toothaches (dental carries), difficulty passing gas, and colic...
Thanks to the ideal proportion of oxygen, we can comfortably breathe and our circulation functions properly. Prof. Michael Denton says that if the density of the air had been a little higher, the air resistance would reach great proportions and it would be impossible to design a respiratory system to supply enough oxygen for a breathing organism. Between the possible atmospheric pressures and the possible oxygen proportions, looking for an optimum digital value for life, the bracket we come across is a highly limited one. The fulfillment of so many requirements for survival within this narrow bracket certainly points to perfect design.
The perfection of God’s creation becomes once more manifest in the course of our study of the atmospheric pressure, in harmony with the oxygen content of the air, suiting our biological makeup.
MAN AND POLLUTION
41- Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned, He thus lets them taste the consequences of their works that they may return.
30-The Romans, 41
Man has been paying the cost of damages he has inflicted on his surroundings and nature throughout centuries. Passion for more money, sloth and irresponsibility have made man blind to the fact that he is part of his natural environment and that the damage he causes it will unavoidably affect him. The development of environmental consciousness in man, who has suffered from damages of his own doing, is a recent event. Environmental awareness only received special emphasis in the world after 1970.
In a century and place where environmental awareness cannot be said to have existed, the reference made in the Quran to this fact, that is to the corruption caused in the land and the sea on account of that which men’s hands have wrought, is a lesson of great scope. We translate the Arabic word “bahr” as “sea” (However, it may also designate large lake, reservoir, inland sea, waterway, etc.). We are advised that we are not allowed to dispose as we like of nature’s endowments since otherwise we shall have to pay for it. We are also informed that the damage caused by man to his own environment will also affect the land and the sea beyond his own limits. Therefore nobody is allowed to say, “I am on my own. No one can meddle with what I do.” Nature is our common heritage and it is everybody’s duty to contribute to the checking of this transgression.
DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE ENVIRONMENT
It is correct to say that the industrial revolution in the 19th century highly contributed to the growth of pollution. It is, however, not correct to say that this was the beginning of pollution of the environment. This process had been going on since ancient times. What is new, however, is the development of ecology and the ecological consciousness. To begin with, the burning down of forests is a happenstance that has been going on for ages. Forest fire was the principal cause of such diseases as man often suffered in the past, like antrakosis. These pyromaniacs had certainly no inkling of what they were perpetrating with their own hands.
During the Middle Ages, environmental pollution seems to have been an important problem. In the England of 1345, people who tossed feces out of their windows were fined two shillings. In the 12th century, Philippe Auguste of France was the first king to ordain the collection of abominable waste littering the streets of the city. The public who disposed of their waste by channeling it into waterways polluted the springs they drank from. The first law on pollution that we know about was passed in 1388 by the British parliament; this law prohibited the throwing of waste into the streets and waterways. Transgressors were to be reported by the people residing in the precincts to the private secretary to the king. Only after it reached extraordinary proportions was the pollution made subject of the law.
The situation became even graver during the industrialization period in the 19th century. Metallurgy and iron and steel works polluted the land, the water and the air. This is reflected in the novels of Charles Dickens and writings of Friedrich Engels that describe the pollution in London. In 1930, sixty-three people died of pollution in the Mosa Valley in Belgium. The situation in London, in 1952, was even more serious. Four thousand died of upper respiratory tract diseases because of man’s ravages of nature.
The situation at present is hardly any rosier. There may not be such mass mortality, but according to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people are under threat from pollution. It is impossible to evaluate the degree of damage the public has suffered from throwing garbage and waste to the sea. This habit is still going on. Sea pollution that threatens the marine fauna and flora, and the settlement in their tissues of noxious substances, is thought to be the cause of many illnesses, including cancer. Carbon dioxide emissions from cars and factories also contribute to the so-called “greenhouse” effect, and it is feared that drastic changes in global climate are causing catastrophic disasters.
We see that environmental pollution is one of the greatest dangers for humankind. This reference to pollution in the Quran at a time when there was no environmental awareness is remarkably interesting. The Quran was not penned like books that are products of the human mind under the influence of social and sociological realities in due consideration of the current issues. It is sent by God, Lord of all times and beings. Knowledge unavailable at the time of its descent, problems of the past and of the future are all present in the Quran. Man is the author of his own destruction. The verse serves as a warning to redress his wrongdoings. The more we expend effort to counteract our past shortcomings, the better we can protect ourselves against catastrophes. Ecology must be our common concern.
SEX IN PLANTS
53- And has sent down water from the sky. With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants.
20-Ta-He, 53
3- ...And fruit of every kind He made in pairs two and two.
13-The Thunder, 3
During the time of the Prophet, biology was not a developed science and the system of reproduction of plants was not known. Differentiation of sex in plants was to be a later discovery. The concept of the production of diverse pairs of plants as stated in the Quran 1400 years ago is very meaningful.
Most species of plants exhibit features of sex, namely, the production of specialized sex cells or gametes and the fusion of these cells in pairs, called fertilization. In flowering plants, the gametes are produced within the flowers. In the female portion, the egg of the plant forms a bulge: this is the ovum with its small and round seeds. Sperm is produced within the pollen tubes and then is carried by wind or insects or other agents from the pollen-producing organs of the flower to the stigma of the pistil. Inside the pistil are ovules, within each of which a female sex cell (egg) is produced. The fertilized egg develops into the embryo of the seed, and the ovule eventually becomes the mature seed. The pollen grain with its tube and contents is the male gametophytes of a flowering plant, and the central tissue (embryo sac) of the ovule with its egg constitutes the female gametophytes of a flowering plant.
PERFECT HARMONY
Plants are of almost infinite variety, their range stretching from the tiniest of plants to the gigantic Californian redwood (Mammoth tree) reaching a height of 90 meters. In the sexual reproduction of plants, male and female organs are differentiated. They have an extremely complex and perfect microscopic world. Thousands and thousands of female and male organs fit each other as if encoded. Had this harmony been a little bit less perfect, none of these plants could have perpetuated their species, since everything depended on these male and female reproductive organs. The least defect in any of them would mean the end of that particular species. These organs must exist in perfect condition within the same species of plant within the same time bracket. This impeccable order shows once again the perfection of the Creator’s design, which leaves no room whatsoever for coincidences. A complex code designed to unlock quadrillions of safes cannot possibly be the result of fortuitousness. The case of plants’ sexual reproduction is even more complicated, and the sexuality in plants and reproduction are but one of the many aspects of the creation of plants. Every plant in its impeccable form is an ornament of our world, a part of our ecological system, a miracle of creation.
SOIL THAT VIBRATES AND SWELLS AS IT COMES TO LIFE
5- ...You see the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down water on it, it vibrates, it swells and puts forth every kind of beautiful growth in pairs.
22-The Pilgrimage, 5
It is general knowledge that there is no life without air and water. Does it ever occur to anyone that soil also is a prerequisite to life? The soil is in continuous development. Throughout thousands of years, especially by the effect of water, it has undergone transformation by erosion of the Lithosphere. As the rate of this erosion is 0.01 mm per year in hard rocks, this transformation is imperceptible (This rate rises up to 20 mm in warmer regions). In this transition process, the earth rises from the inorganic world of minerals to an organic sphere. In a fertile section of earth 1 m3 there are some 30 million bacteria.
The above verse refers to reactions that occur in series after rainfall. The vibrating and swelling of soil were at first believed to be literary expressions. But Robert Brown’s discovery of the earth’s shaking referred to as “Brownian movement” was another proof of the Quran’s miraculous insight. Three stages are mentioned in the Quran, namely:
1) Earth’s vibrating
2) Earth’s swelling and
3) Earth’s products in pairs.
1) In the first stage, particles in the soil begin moving upon the fall of rainwater. Raindrops falling on the earth at random move in every direction. The particles are ionized. They are positively ionized as there is a fall in the electrical charge and negatively ionized as there is a rise in the electrical charge. With the arrival of water the ionized molecules begin vibrating. Robert Brown, who discovered this phenomenon in 1828, called this movement: “Brownian movement.”
2) The second point refers to the growth in size of the earth’s particles as they absorb water. Soil particles are composed of joint layers. Between any two layers, there are spaces that allow water particles and dissolved ions to enter. When water and the nourishing elements dissolve in it, they diffuse between layers, resulting in the swelling of the size of the soil particles. The soil’s property of holding water prevents its penetration any deeper, and thus provides for organisms and plants to live.
3) The third stage refers to the germination of seeds. As the verse points out, the fertilization process has started. The soil that seemed dead comes to life with water, giving in turn life to vegetation that begins to sprout.
There are many references to the creation of plants. Parallels are drawn between the creation and restoration to life of plants and the resurrection raising from the dead. The period when a plant begins to sprout is likened to youth, and the period when the plant ripens to adolescence, and then to maturity. Just like a man gets weaker and frailer as he grows older and wrinkles appear on his skin, so do plants dry and lose their luster. When they die, they mix with the soil, just like the corpse of a man. As plants grow again, so will man rise from the dead. God, who causes plants to die every year and regenerates them, so will He raise men from the dead.
33- One sign for them is the dead land. We revive it and produce from it grains which they eat.
36-Ya-Seen, 33
FEMALE HONEYBEE, BUILDER OF HER OWN CELL
68- And your Lord revealed the female honeybee; build homes in mountains, and trees, and in the hives people built for you.
16-The Honeybee, 68
In narrating the doings of the honeybee, the Quran uses the feminine gender. In Arabic, verbs are conjugated according to gender. The use in the Quran of the feminine gender in conjugation shows that the acts were performed by the female bee. To translate the honeybee in question with the addition of the adjective “female” before the honeybee would be natural. (It should be noted however that the orthography of both the feminine and the masculine is the same for honeybee.) The working of the female honeybee is described in the Quran as follows:
1- Building of hive (verse 68)
2- Collecting of nectar, new material for honey production (verse 69)
3- Making honey (verse 69)
All the above three functions are performed by female bees. The unique function of the male, more robust with big eyes, is to fertilize the young queen female bee. The male bees that fulfill this function are expelled from the hive by their females at the end of the summer and, as they are used to being looked after by their females, they then die of starvation.
At the time of the descent of the Quran, men did not know the details of the distribution of work among the bees living in a hive; they did not know that those actively working in the hive were females. They did not know that the function of producing honey and collecting nectar from fruits belonged to female bees. Therefore, it is interesting, indeed, that in listing the duties of bees, the Quran used the mode of conjugation in the Arabic intended for the female gender.
MATHEMATICIAN BEES
The functions performed by the female honeybee leave us in wonder. The design of the cells in which she will live call for the erudition of a mathematician. Honeybees produce their honeycombs in the form of hexagons. (Bee fossils show that this was also the case millions of years ago.) Mathematicians inquiring into the reason why this hexagon remained constant and why there were no rectangles, heptagons, octagons, etc. found out that the optimum use of the entire space of unit could be no other than a hexagon, which also accounted for the production of cells using the available material in the most economical fashion. Had the cells been of a different shape, i.e., triangular or quadrilateral, there would be no vacuum, as well. But less material is required to build hexagonal cells than that required for triangular or quadrilateral cells. In many other shapes there would be unutilized space left. Thus the hexagonal cell is capable of storing the greater amount of honey with less wax.
This structure is the result of the combined work of thousands of bees, each contributing to the entire geometrical opus. Mathematicians have proven that no larger space could be arranged with a given amount of wax to fit the geometrical design. The worker bees show how they can realize it in the most economical fashion with what they have.
A French entomologist by the name of Antoine Ferchault posited a geometrical problem referred to as the “Bee Problem.” He stated that “a cell of regular hexagonal cross section is closed by three equal and equally inclined rhombuses. Calculate the smaller angle of the rhombus when the total surface area of the cell is least possible.” Three leading mathematicians, a German, a Swiss and a Brit, tried to solve this problem, and all of them found the following result: 70 degrees 32 minutes. This exactly fits the angle of cells constructed by the female bees. Even the wisest of men could not suggest an improvement on the female bees’ technique of building.
The worker bees’ points of departure in the production process of these cells differ. As the work proceeds, the cells converge toward a central point. The angles of cells at the point where they meet are perfect. It is clear that the construction of this design, the distances between the beginning and the end points and the precise calculation of the positions of their fellow workers display unbelievable exactitude.
The most renowned mathematicians demonstrated the bees’ unerring calculation measured as 70 degrees 32 minutes. However, were we to suggest that these men of science take a ruler in hand and make a hexagon with perfectly fitting angles, and then add to the instructions given to these three professors, asking that the calculation used to form the hexagons be regular and flawless, they would fail in the task. We see that the bees are not only great theoreticians but also skillful practitioners. In the theoretical field, this calculation is incredibly exact, while their dexterity in applying it is unbelievable accurate.
How do these bees, whose lifetime is very short, achieve all these calculations and construction work? To call this ingenuity mere “instinct” does not explain anything. The Quran states that the bee received revelations according to which God’s design and programming were put into execution. Within the span of the honeybee’s lifetime, the cleverest of men could not learn even to count, let alone be the author of such a perfect design. We cannot account for the erudition of bees, certainly not as pure luck. The Creator who created the bee made her with all her potentialities, having solved for her all these mathematical problems. The same Creator sees to it that the bee works for ends that also serve mankind in general. In the second part of this book MMLC 15 where the mathematical miracles will be dealt with, we will examine the mathematical code of the suras and verses where “honeybee” is mentioned. God, who endowed the bee with mathematical characteristics, presented further mathematical miracles in the suras and verses in which “honeybee” is mentioned.
THE FEMALE HONEYBEE’S ABDOMEN AND THE HEALING POWER OF HONEY
69- Then eat from all the fruits and flit about the spacious paths of your Lord. There issues from within her abdomens a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for the people. Verily in this is a sign for those who understand.
16-The Honeybee, 69
The honeybee has a body that varies in length between 1cm and 3cm, and that is divided into three parts: head, thorax and abdomen. The verse quoted above stresses that in the individual female bee there are “abdomens,” which in Arabic is “butuniha,” the “ha” referring to a singular female bee. If the plural of the word “abdomen” was meant to refer to the female bees, then the plural female pronoun “hunna” would be attached to the verb “butuniha.” This makes clear the segmented abdomen of the bee. Inside the abdomen there are two stomachs or crops. When collecting the nectar from flowers, nectar is stored in this honey stomach for transport back to the hive. At the rear of the honey stomach is a valve that prevents stored nectar from passing on into the rear portion of the digestive system, except for the small amount needed by the bee to sustain life. The hind portion of the bee’s body is the abdomen that is made up of segments in the form of rings. The abdomen of the bee functions as a chemistry laboratory to produce honey.
The colors of honey vary as stated in the Quran. They change according to the climate, season and weather conditions and the sources where nectar is obtained. The color of honey ranges from dark brown to green, among which the light yellow is preferred. In the honey industry, modern countries with developed techniques use a colorimeter to establish the exact description of honey’s color.
THE HONEY DANCES OF BEES
At the beginning of the verse, reference is made to the collection of nectar. The female bees not only produce honey, but also assume the duty of collecting the raw material from flowers to be eventually transformed into honey. During this process of seeking the nectar, incredible phenomena occur.
The bee that has located the spot where there is nectar to be collected returns to the hive to inform her sisters about the location of flowers. The scout bees returning to the hive perform circular dances or tail-wagging movements on the comb. These dances indicate not only that the scouts have found nectar or pollen and that the other workers should go out and seek it, but they are actually performing an amazing charade that conveys precise information to their sisters about the direction and the distance of the location of a newfound source.
Sometimes a normal adult must attend a dance course for six weeks while a bee, whose lifetime is but six weeks, is able to perform a dance for communication purposes. The bee’s calculation on her way back to the hive is also of great interest. The bee makes her calculation according to the position of the sun. The sun changes its locality one degree per four minutes. The bee that has spotted the location of her food also calculates her return journey as directly and correctly as possible in relation to the sun. She performs this without any error. All these calculations and harmonious coexistence within the hive cannot possibly be explained by pure coincidence or after a six-week-long training. So, all these are innate in her as an endowment of the Creator.
THE HEALING POWER OF HONEY
The verse speaks of the nutritive property of honey, a product of female bees. The regenerative property of honey is confirmed by medical authorities. In addition to its rich vitamin content, among its components are also such minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus as well as such metals as copper, iodine, iron, zinc, and hormones.
Thanks to the easy convertibility of its sugar content, it is easily assimilated. Honey facilitates the functioning of the brain, thanks to its other sugars. It contributes to the production of blood, to its cleansing and proper circulation. Honey provides for the requirement necessary for proper functioning of our physiology and also it is used externally in cosmetics and dermatology.
The fact that honey had healing properties was nothing new for communities all over the world. Therefore, I am not claiming that this was not a generally acknowledged fact at the time of the descent of the Quran. However there were also such superstitious beliefs as the healing effect of a camel’s urine, which was later falsely attributed to the Prophet in hadith books. The Quran never justifies any of such false ideas offered as elixirs. Had the Quran been a product of human imagination, it might also have contained at least a residue of such false beliefs.
The distribution of work of bees in a hive and the multiple tasks performed by bees is too complicated to explain within the scope of this book. The ventilation of the hive, regulating humidity and temperature, keeping a perfect hygienic medium in the hive; guarding the hive, discarding the unwanted foreign matter, dead bees, etc., secreting wax, propolis, all are amazing tasks. How can a bee, whose lifetime is but six weeks, know and perform such grandiose artistry? Without an intelligent Creator the fortuity of all these data is certainly unimaginable. Every inquirer into the doings of a bee - to whose properties there are references in the Quran - will observe the sublime artistry of God in the entity of an insect.
4- Also in your creation and spreading of the animals are signs for people of assured faith.
45-Kneeling, 4
FORMATION OF MILK
66- And surely in the livestock there is a lesson for you, We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies from the midst of digested food and blood, pure milk palatable for the drinkers.
16-The Honeybee, 66
We often see goats, sheep and cows eat grass, and yet it rarely occurs to any of us to establish a link between this process and the milk and the dairy products we consume. God lets them feed on this grass, its ultimate transformation to be milk, one of the basic nutriments. William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood almost a millennium after the Prophet’s decease. At the time of the Prophet, the fact that the blood carried the nutriments absorbed from digested food into its constituents to mammary glands for production of milk was not known. The new material transformed from pasture into assimilated food and blood becomes a nutritious food.
The Quran not only draws attention to truths unknown at the time, but also displays facts to derive lessons from. The blood collects and transports the substances formed by digested food to organs; among others, to mammary glands. This process is initiated by blood coming into contact with the contents of intestines, on their walls. Before continuing its journey, carried by blood, part of the digested food is absorbed by the intestines. This information is the result of modern research in biology, chemistry and in the physiology of digestion.
THE RICHEST OF PRODUCTS EASY TO OBTAIN
Milk is the first food of the newborn mammal. It is a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of mammalians as food for their young in the period immediately after birth. From the young of whales to human infants, all mammals feed on their mother’s milk. The young animals and the babies obtain their supply of excellent nourishment without any toil. Milk is the best product for infants. No other nourishment can replace what is provided by it. We can identify thousands of nutritious food items in the world. Had the universe been the outcome of happy coincidences and had there been no ingeniously designed creation, there would have been no particular reason for the mother’s milk to be the best and most carefully selected nutriment. This perfect order designed for every mammal, including man, is a proof of the Creator’s inimitable forethought. Materials digested to become blood turn into milk in the mother’s breast and are offered to the newborn by its Creator. Whether ratiocinated or mathematically calculated, it is impossible to assert that this is the outcome of fortuitous events which have nothing to do with a designed purpose. The infant practices sucking its finger in the womb to be prepared for drinking milk as soon as it is delivered. The fact that mother’s milk comes exactly in the amount of the baby’s need without spurting is also carefully planned.
The milk we first taste from our mother’s breast will continue throughout our lives to be consumed by us to meet the requirements of a healthy constitution. Milk is a whitish liquid consisting of small globules of fat suspended in a watery solution containing proteins, lactose sugar and minerals like calcium, casein and phosphorous, plus vitamins. Cheese, butter and yogurt are all made with milk, the basic nutriment of man. The benefits that our body derives from its contents, like minerals and vitamins are more than the present book can contain. When we consume it, we should remember always its Creator.
18- Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?
55-Gracious, 18
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BIRDS
16- And Solomon was David’s heir. He said: “O my people! We have been taught the speech of birds...”
27-The Ant, 16
In the above verse, it is said that the Prophet Solomon was taught the speech of birds in addition to the endowments that God’s grace had adorned him with. The Quran refers to the communication between birds and to the fact that the twittering and singing of birds has particular meanings. Birds, like human beings, do communicate. This undeniable communication is certainly not as developed as it is in man.
Research conducted by zoologists has established that sounds emitted by animals are meaningful and not haphazard. Birds, ants, dolphins, etc., have systems of communication.
MEANINGS IN SOUNDS EMITTED BY BIRDS
As the Quran speaks of the language of birds, let us take a look at research conducted on birds. Brazilian and American ornithologists have studied the hummingbird (one of the tiniest birds in the world) and published their findings in the British journal Nature. The author of the article, Maria Luisa Da Silva, says that the vocabulary of the hummingbird is not innate but develops afterward. In other words, the hummingbird learns to speak as human beings do.
Studies on crows have demonstrated that they emit a variety of sounds, namely, to call the colony of crows to come together, to express alarm, and to communicate a state of distress. Ornithologists, who have recorded these sounds using a sonograph, are still engaged in deciphering the meanings behind them. Bernd Heinrich, among these scientists who speak of the difficulty in decoding the sonograms, associates this research work with the work of the inhabitants of other planets visiting our earth and trying to decipher eating, playing, making love and activities like catching fish using a sonograph. What we are trying to do is to imagine ourselves in their place. Bernd Heinrich speaks of the difficulty encountered in deciphering the language of animals in general, as different species have different ways of communication, each calling for a different approach.
There is a body language, expressed by the changes in your body position and movements, that show what you are feeling or thinking. Nodding means “yes,” hailing is a sign of calling to someone in order to greet him or try to attract his attention. Although the sounds emitted by birds are a means of communication, they also have, in general, a body language. Their body language is easier to decipher. For instance, a bird that emits a sound by touching its beak with his tongue means “I am a friend, I have no intention to harm you.” Theresa Jordan gives a whole list of signs, demonstrating thereby that even the body language necessitates a glossary.
The physiology of birds is as interesting as their language, the long distances they cover without swerving from their destination are something to marvel at. Ornithologists studying birds will see God’s perfect artistry revealed in these creatures too.
38- All the creatures on earth, and all the birds that fly with wings are communities like you. We did not leave anything out of this Book. Then they will all be gathered before their Lord.
6-The Cattle, 38
FEMALE ANT AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ANIMALS
Apart from the liquids of glands, the ants communicate also by sounds. For instance, ants whose colonies are nested in the bark of trees strike the ground with their bodies. Carpenter ants beat drums to this end. The members of the colony communicate with each other and direct themselves to their destination without any misunderstanding. Giving the alarm, eating, cleaning, gathering together, exchanging food and recognition are the main headings of communication. The Quran draws attention to ants’ giving the alarm, which is one of the main points that research work has established.
FEMALE ANTS
In the verse, the ant in question is female. Just like in the case of bees, this use of feminine gender is significant. Colonies of ants show similarity with the hive of bees. The only function of male ants is to have sexual relations when they are mature. Male ants die soon after they
copulate. All the work is performed by barren female ants in colonies. As in the case of the beehive, the colony is a world where reign the mother and sisters.
If we consider that it was the ant who guards and collects food that announced Solomon’s advancing army, then it must have been the female worker ant. If we consider that ant to be the most privileged and elite member of the caste, then the announcer must have been the queen ant, which is, of course, again a female.
It is estimated that there are 10 million ants per man. Magnitude and the vastness of numerical concepts are no problem for God. This shows again God’s power of creation. There are ants that eat leaves, cutting them with the mastery of a tailor; there are harvester ants that live in the desert, etc. All these are proof of the great wisdom and artistry of God.
11- Such is the creation of God, show me now what those beside Him have created. Indeed, the transgressors are far astray.
31-Luqmaan, 11
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DOLPHINS AND OTHER ANIMALS
In the Quran special consideration is given to the communication between birds and ants. This fact may lead the inquirers to study other animals. For instance, studies on elephants have demonstrated evidence of elephants communicating with one another from very long distances. Dolphins’ communication also has been among the points of interest among researchers. Because of their ability to communicate with one another through a range of distinct sounds, dolphins have become the object of serious scientific and experimental studies. Whistling, screeching and clicking enable them to establish communication. They send sound waves with a kind of sonar. This system enables them to recognize objects in dark waters and measure distances. Their sound frequencies range between 0.25kHz and 200kHz. The higher frequencies are used to spot locations and the lower ones are used for communication and orientation. To detect the communication signs of dolphins, experiments have been conducted by immersing microphones in the sea, and putting artificial obstacles in front of dolphins. After these experiments, scientists have concluded that dolphins talk to each other, although the meanings of the different sounds they emit have so far not been deciphered. (See the experiments conducted by Dr Dreher, Dr Evans and Dr. John C. Lilly). In all the specimens of creation the perfection and impeccability of God’s work have been manifest. Those eyes that can perceive and those hearts ready to receive can witness all these.
46- Have they not roamed the earth so that their hearts may thus understand and their ears may thus hear? Indeed, blindness is not the blindness of the eyes, but the blindness of the hearts inside their breasts.
22-The Pilgrimage, 46
12- We created the human being from a quintessence of clay.
23-The Believers, 12
7- Who made all things He created excellent, and He started the creation of the human being from clay.
32-The Prostration, 7
20- Among His signs is that He created you from dust...
30-The Romans, 20
54- And it is He who created from water a human being, then has He established relationship of lineage and marriage. Your Lord is Omnipotent.
25-The Distinguisher, 54
According to the Quran, man is created from dust and water. Sometimes the Quran stresses these elements separately and sometimes in combination. There have been an infinite number of speculations about man’s creation out of clay (the combination made of dust and water). After the developments in biology and chemistry, analytical studies of clay and the human body were carried out. The result showed that the constituents of clay and those of the human body fit exactly. Let us enumerate these constituents: iron, calcium, oxygen, sodium, potassium, magnesium, hydrogen, chlorine, iodine, manganese, lead, phosphorous, carbon, zinc, sulfur, and nitrogen. The artistry of God was to combine this inanimate matter to create man.
MAN CREATED FROM DUST AND WATER
All these constituents are obtainable at reasonable prices. The cost of all these elements is not any higher than a hundred dollars according to the New York Stock Exchange. Yes, a hundred dollars exactly is the basic price of man. God created man out of a combination of elements that costs almost nothing. The mystery does not lie in the material out of which man is made, but in the Creator...
2- Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.
1-The Prologue, 2
QUINTESSENCE OF CLAY
As it is explained in the sura The Believers, Verse 12, man was created from a quintessence. God combined the elements contained in clay as a result of fine calculations. These elements are harmoniously and proportionately distributed in the body at birth; the body is programmed to make use of them in due proportion and to dispose of any surplus. The human body contains about 2kg calcium. If there is a decrease in this amount, the very act of biting into an apple may cause our teeth to break. Our body needs 120gr of potassium. A decrease of it may cause muscle cramps, fatigue, intestinal troubles, and palpitations. We need only about 2gr to 3gr of zinc. Any lowering in these values may cause loss of memory, impotence, decrease of the capability to act and weakening of the senses of smell and taste. Insufficiency of selenium may bring about the weakening of muscles, hardening of arteries and heart muscles...
All these data show that God, while making use of clay as raw material for man, combined its constituents in ideal proportions. The Quran is exact in its statements. Creating a living being such as man from such ordinary matter is one of the manifestations of the omniscience of God. Careful combination in due proportion of all the constituents of the human body demonstrates God’s matchless design. The creation of man, a masterpiece, out of a matter of simple aspect like clay, shows again the greatness of God.
WATER BECOMES ALIVE
30- ...and from water We made all living things. Will they
not believe even then?
21-The Prophets, 30
45- God created every moving creature from water...
24-The Light, 45
In the 54th verse of the sura The Distinguisher, it is said that human beings are created from water, and in the suras The Prophets and The Light it is said that all living beings are created from water. Water is the basic biological element of living matter. Cells are made of water in proportions varying between 60% to 80%. A cell whose basic element is water is a living thing. Without water there is no life. Water is composed of two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms. Water, whose chemical constituents have been arranged perfectly, is made of atoms devoid of organic life and 99% vacuum. How is it that living beings and animals are created from something of which 99% is void? How is it that an entity made of an inorganic and inanimate matter comes to life?
24- He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Designer; to Him belong the most beautiful names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the Wise.
59-Exodus, 24
2- Verily, We created the human from a drop of a liquid mixture in order to try him. Thus We made him a hearer and a seer.
76-The Human, 2
Analyses in detail of organs and substances in the human body could be made with the invention and development of the microscope. These analyses showed that semen is composed of spermatozoa in their nutrient plasma, secretions from the prostate, seminal vesicles and various other glands. Citric acid, prostaglandin, flavins, ascorbic acid, fructose, phosphorylcoline, cholesterol, phospholipids, fibrinolysin, zinc, acid phosphatase, and sperm are among the various constituents of the semen.
Our body is one of the best, the most beautiful and the most complicated of works. Thanks to it, we are able to see and hear, to perpetuate our lineage; thanks to the skills of this body we can design and build machines, computers, bridges and airplanes and do paintings, carve statues and compose music. Our body is the product of one of the initial stages of creation, that entailed the creation of all the constituents of the semen. This was to be followed by the physiochemical processes involved in the union of the male and female gametes to form the zygote, the fertilized ovum before cleavage. The explanation of only the sperm cord or the prostate gland would take hundreds of pages. Our Creator refers in His book to a “liquid mixture.” Our analysis of this mixture and its constituents contributes to our increasing wonder at the presence of the miraculous creation of our body.
SEMEN IS A COMPOUND
Our odyssey, that began with the creation of this liquid compound, led us to acquire such skills as seeing, hearing and other processes of extreme complexity. No man within his senses can attribute his or her perfect creation to the skills of a drop of a mixture and coincidences. The Creator who is Omniscient, Omnipotent, who is exalted and beyond all praise, is the Author of these things as stated in the Quran.
CREATION FROM A DROP
36- Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled?
37- Was he not a drop of semen emitted?
75-The Resurrection, 36-37
The Quran says that God who created man watches over him. In verse 37 it is stated that he is created from “a drop of semen.” Here again we are in the presence of a scientific fact inaccessible at the time of the Prophet. In this verse, the Arabic words “maney” (semen) and “nutfah” (drop) are differentiated. “Nutfah” means what is left of a liquid in a bucket whose contents have been emptied. Thus the expression refers to a portion and not to all the semen. The semen contains in a single ejaculation, along with its other constituents, sperm numbering between
100 million and 200 million. One out of hundreds of millions of sperm fertilizes the egg. In other words, the zygote, product of the union of two gametes, is but the result of a small part of the semen. The sperm or the spermatozoon, the male gamete, typically consisting of a head containing the nucleus, a middle piece containing a mitochondrion and a
comparatively long tail whose structure is similar to that of a lagellum.
Hundreds of millions of sperm, leaving the male’s organ, head for the ovum waving their tails. The distance they cover in the woman’s organ of reproduction involves a considerably long journey, if measured in microns the length of a sperm (a micron is equal to one millionth of a meter). To cover such a distance means to swim long distances, kilometers in fact. Many of the sperm die on the way and only a few succeed in reaching the target. Of the multitude of sperm surrounding the egg, only one is allowed to penetrate, barring the way to all others. Half of the genetic data of this sperm is contained in a head of 5 microns. The other genetic code is waiting in the mother’s womb. All these are the result of many concurring details. God displays his artistry in every instance.
CREATION FROM A QUINTESSENCE AND CHILD’S SEX
8- Then made his offspring from the quintessence of the nature of a despised fluid.
32-The Prostration, 8
In the 46th chapter, our attention was drawn to the fact that man was created from a quintessence of clay. The Arabic meaning of the word, “quintessence” is “sulala.” Just as man is created from a “quintessence” of the earth, he is also created from a “quintessence” of semen. While the word “drop” signifies just a small amount of semen, the word “quintessence” draws attention to the essence of semen. Sperm constitute only a part of the semen, in fact they are the basic element of it. The particular sperm that fertilizes the egg is but a tiny member of hundreds of millions of sperm in semen; it is also the swimmer that reaches the finish, having overtaken all the others. Each of us is the winner sperm’s product. Every human being coming to the world has behind him hundreds of millions in this swimming race. We, who are reading these lines, have come out victorious, since we are far ahead of those we have left behind. Each of us has carried the day. And we are the quintessence!
57- It is We who created you, so why do you not affirm the truth?
58- Do you then see the semen that you emit?
59- Is it you who create it or are We the creator?
56-The Inevitable, 57-59
DETERMINATION OF THE CHILD’S SEX
45- That He did create in pairs, male and female;
46- From a drop of semen which emitted.
53-The Star, 45-46
Even today there are still people and families on the husband’s side who blame mothers for giving birth to girls rather than to boys. That it is the mother who decides on the sex of her child is a lingering prejudice among the ignorant. Although well-informed scientific circles were exempt from such misconceptions, even they had until quite recently the impression that the child’s sex was the joint product of equal contribution by the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm. The fact that it is the sperm that determines the child’s sex has only recently been established. In a fabricated hadith falsely attributed to the Prophet, we read: “Male’s water is white. Woman’s water is yellow. If the two come together and the man’s water overcomes the woman’s, a male child is born, if, on the other hand, it is the woman’s water that dominates, the child is a girl.” One can see that during and centuries after the time of the Prophet the factor that determined the sex of the child was not known.
The implication in the Quran of the formation of sex is astounding, as it indicates that it is a drop of semen that determines it. The 46 chromosomes that human cells contain form the genetic code of a human being. Two of these determine the child’s sex. Male chromosomes are defined as XY and the female ones as XX. The chromosomes are split during ovulation into two each, containing an X chromosome. Some sperms contain X and some Y chromosome. If an X chromosome unites with an X chromosome in the woman’s egg, the sex of the child to be born will be female, while a Y chromosome in man uniting with an X chromosome in woman means the offspring will be of the male sex. We see that whether the future child will be a boy or a girl is entirely dependent on the arrival of an X or Y chromosome from the sperm. Biological research continues. The discovery in the1990s of the SRY protein in the Y chromosome, and the conclusions derived from it, have enriched the available data on the issue. This information that the Quran implied more than 1400 years ago was not known until quite recently. We can mention, for example, the story of Henry the VIII, who divorced Catherine his queen for having 168 given him a girl child. This fact, alluded to in the Quran, had also an ironical touch. Women have been blamed for centuries for having been responsible in the determination of the sex of the child they were going to give birth to. The discoveries of science have explained this miraculous event, while ruling out the grounds which put the blame on the woman.
SECURE PLACE
20- Have We not created you from an unassuming fluid?
21- The which We placed in a secure place.
77-The Emissaries, 20-21
The uterus is described as a secure place. Being placed in the center of the pelvic cavity, it is well protected. Man’s organ is not favored with such an endowment. The uterus is a cavity whose walls are made of muscles and have the shape of a pear. In an adult woman the length of it is 8cm, the width measures 5cm and the height 2.5cm. The uterus, relatively small in size, dilates considerably during the last phase of pregnancy. The weight of it is 50gr while it attains about 1000 gr at the end of pregnancy. The child it holds within it can even exceed 5000 grams. This means that the child is 100 times heavier than the uterus itself.
It is the only organ that can grow so rapidly and is given to rapid development. With its tightly wedged thick muscles, it protects the fetus, rapidly growing in size, against all kinds of external impacts and adverse conditions. The fetus, exposed to all sorts of dangers, owes its survival to the solid structure of the uterus, its ideal place. The
Quran’s drawing our attention to the solidity and durability of the womb calls for our studying it more deeply is a proof of the God whose grace protects the fetus against all ill intentions.
1- In the name of God, Gracious, Merciful.
1-The Prologue, 1
HANGING ON THE WALL OF UTERUS
13- Then We placed him as a drop in a firmly established lodging
14- Then We developed the drop into a hanging...
23-The Believers, 13-14
“Alaq” is the Arabic word referring to something that is hanging on a place. Embryology did not exist as a science at the time of the Prophet. Neither was there special terminology yet. The Quran described the stages using the words current at the time. According to this description, the zygote then hangs on the wall of the uterus. The Quran brings clarification to something unknown at the time. To render the word “alaq” with the signification ‘embryo’ may not exactly reflect its original meaning, and would moreover fail to convey the spirit of it. To translate it as “a clot of blood” deviates from the literal meaning of the word. This rendering has often been adopted, giving it the attribute of a secondary meaning of the word. The reason was the failure of exegetists to conceive the true meaning of the word.
In 1641, Harvey’s statement, according to which the origin of every living thing was an egg, and saying that the embryo underwent transformations, passing through stages of development, was one of the major contributions to the advancement of science. In the 17th century, when man already had the microscope at his disposal, the respective roles of the egg and of the sperm were topics of discussion. Bonnet (1720-1793) speculated that female eggs consisted of a countless number of smaller eggs, one inside the other, and generalized on the “preformation theory,” which maintains that a child arises from an adult in miniature contained within the egg, and he applied this theory to all animals. This hypothesis found many adherents in the 18th century. Men, some thousand years prior to the 18th century, had been
acquainted with the Quran. What was said in it about the reproduction of the human organism was rendered in a clear expression that was to take man centuries to confirm. Keith Moore, anatomy professor in the Toronto University of Canada, says that the information contained in the Quran about embryology cannot be accounted for by the data available in the 7th century. He goes further and says that, even a century back, this was hardly known. Only today are we in a position to understand what the verses of the Quran meant, thanks to the development of modern embryology.
In history, the only book that exactly describes the development of the human being within the womb is the Quran. Let us once again tackle the subject of hanging to the uterus wall. Only after the invention of the microscope was man able to bring this fact to light as a result of developments in the fields of physiology, anatomy and embryology.
PROOFS FROM THE STAGES OF THE EMBRYO
6- These are the signs of God which We rehearse to you in truth. Then in which word other than God and His signs do they believe?
45-Kneeling, 6
The sperm that encounters its other half in the fallopian tube continues its way from there toward the uterus. The embryo, in its journey, does not cling on to the fallopian tube. The embryo proceeds on, and when it reaches the uterus hangs onto a spot where the blood vessels are dense. The stage of “alaq” referred in the Quran has started. How is it that this powerless cell devoid of all intelligence eventually finds for itself a shelter in the uterus, the ideal place for it? How is it that the embryo that arrives at the uterus hangs on its wall and is able to receive all the nourishment necessary for its development, like a leech? (One of the meanings of the word “alaq” is “leech.”) All these things are carefully planned by God’s ingenious artistry. Those who are blind to this fact and refuse to see in this God’s doing, interpreting it as pure coincidence or the embryo’s genius, will be in a ridiculous situation.
The process of the embryo hanging on the uterus wall is the result of a complicated system. To penetrate the acid layer of the uterine wall, the embryo secretes an enzyme (hyaluronidase) that catalyzes the uterine tissue and allows the penetration of the embryo, which settles in it like a plant. Henceforth, it will supply its need for food and oxygen from this very point. The hyaluronidase secreted by the embryo catalyzes the breakdown of the hyaluronic acid. Furthermore, the embryo releases some chemicals to protect itself from the mother’s immune system, which would otherwise treat the embryo as a foreign invader to be destroyed.
The embryo’s discovery of the place where it is going to hang is a marvel. The embryonic cells have so many activities to perform that a scientist who studies them can easily come to the conclusion that they are entities of high intelligence.
1. Read in the name of your Lord who created
2. He created man from a hanging.
96-The Hanging, 1-2
CHEWED LUMP OF FLESH
14- Then We developed the drop into a hanging, then developed the hanging into a chewed lump of flesh.
23-The Believers, 14
The Quran continues displaying its miracles in its description of “alaq” succeeded by the “mudga” (chewed lump of flesh) stage. As a matter of fact, the embryo in the uterus has the appearance of a chewed lump of flesh, a tiny piece of flesh. Sura 22-The Pilgrimage, verse 5, speaks “of chewed lump of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed,”
which is a good description of the aspect of the fetus. The aspect presented to our sight is of an indented figure whose head, feet and internal organs have begun to develop (partly formed, partly unformed).
Prof. Keith L. Moore says that he had a model made in plastic in the shape of an embryo and bit on it, leaving the marks of his teeth; this seemed to be an exact reproduction of an embryo, and explained the indentation referred to in the Quran.
ADVENTURE OF THE CHEWED LUMP OF FLESH
A single cell undergoes many stages in forming the various organs and tissues of the body. A chewed lump of flesh at one stage, it is transformed into organs, muscles, skeleton, brain, eyes and ears, until in time man finally emerges. To review all the stages of this development
renders our awe still greater at the presence of God’s artistry. There is a time when the lump turns into a heart, a heart that beats 100,000 times a day without our being aware of it and without any conscious contribution on our part. Blood that comes to the heart and leaves it does not get mixed together. Blood is distributed in the body in perfect proportions. The ventricles and atriums of the heart are wonders of creation. The organized movement of blood within the arteries and veins presents matchless complexity and would take pages to describe. The day comes when this “chewed lump of flesh” is transformed into a liver, the organ that assumes more than 400 functions. This tiny lump becomes muscles to help us in our numerous movements like eating, running, walking, sitting and laughing. The muscles function within the framework of an extremely complex net of coordination.
Merely smiling requires the coordinated functioning of 17 muscles. Our brains, hands, feet, intestines, kidneys, respiratory systems and the blood circulating in our veins and arteries owe their origins to this tiny lump of flesh, once a drop of liquid. The story of our creation would take up a whole encyclopedia. The Quran invites us to study these phenomena and meditate upon them. The prayer and ritual enjoined to man in the Quran have been a topic of long discussion. The verses that refer to ratiocination and meditation, which, although superior in number to those of the rituals, have received less attention.
6- O human beings! What has seduced you from your Lord, Most Beneficent?
7- The One who created you, designed you in due proportion, and disposed you aright.
8- In whatever design He chose, He constructed you.
82-The Shattering, 6-8
BONE FORMATION AND CLOTHING OF BONES WITH FLESH
14- ...then created the chewed lump of flesh (mudga) into bones, then covered the bones with flesh (lahm)...
23-The Believers, 14
259- Look further at the bones, how We construct them and then cover with flesh (lahm).
2-The Cow, 259
The embryo is a boneless lump. Its cartilage tissue is transformed into bones in due time, as stated in the Quran, followed by their being clothed in muscular flesh. The Arabic word “lahm” means the muscular flesh. This process was unknown 1400 years ago. It was believed that the bones and muscles developed simultaneously. Advanced microscopes and micro cameras introduced into the uterus corroborated once again the truth expressed in the Quran.
PERFECT STRUCTURE OF THE SKELETON
The verse quoted from the sura The Cow draws our attention to the skeleton and invites us to examine it closely. While reading this verse, we will try to meditate upon the miraculous formations within our bodies. Our skeletons, marvels of engineering, are formed of 206 bones of varying sizes. They are towers made of bones connected with each other by joints and ligaments, enabling us to jump, run, bend, sit, etc. To turn the page of a book necessitates the concurrent action of our shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers, without our being aware of the fact that it is the skeleton that performs this act.
The skeletal system is made up of structures composed of bones or cartilage or a combination of the two, which provide a framework for the vertebrate body and serve as attachment for muscles. Every part of this system independently performs the duty with which it has been charged. Where the movement is deemed to involve danger, the joints are fixed, like in the skull and pelvis, while in the hips or shoulders they are mobile. Cervical vertebrae permit the head to revolve around its axis up to 180 degrees. Thus, one does not have to turn his body to look around. The lungs and heart are protected by ribs to ensure their proper and safe functioning without being exposed to any hazard. The skeletal system supports the body like the columns and beams of a building. However, it is to be wondered at that while in modern buildings the frame forms 60-70% of the building’s weight, the human skeleton forms but 15% of the body weight. The structural frame is highly resistant. For instance the thighbone (the femur) in vertical position can carry a weight of one ton. Solidity and elasticity coexist.
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CREATION IN THREE DARKNESSES
6- ...He creates you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after the other, in three darkness.
39-The Throngs, 6
The fetus in the mother’s womb is a fragile thing. If it were not protected well, heat, cold, temperature variations, impacts or even the mother’s sudden movement might kill it or cause it irreparable damage. The three zones within the mother’s womb protect the fetus against all sorts of dangers. These are:
1- The abdominal wall,
2- The uterine wall, and
3- The amniotic sac.
With the level of knowledge at the time, this information could not have been available. The fetus continues to develop in the dark of these three regions. The amniotic sac contains a fluid that fills the amnion to protect the embryo from desiccation and shock. This substance is a kind of cushion that absorbs shocks, balances exerted pressures, prevents the amniotic membrane from adhering to the embryo and enables the fetus to change position in the uterus. If the fetus could not easily move in the said fluid, it would remain idle as a mass of flesh and would likely suffer injuries leading to various complications. Equal distribution of heat enables the fetus to be at a constant temperature: 31°C. We observe that our Creator has designed everything perfectly in its minutest detail, satisfying all the requirements of our body and protecting it against the dangers lurking in the outside world.
FROM ONE STAGE TO ANOTHER
It was also said that verse pointed to the fact that during the stages of creation we passed through three different phases of development. According to this view the three veils of darkness refer to:
1- The fallopian tubes: Either of the paired oviducts that extend from ovary to uterus for conduction of the ovum in mammals. The sperm, having fertilized the egg, proceeds on along the fallopian tubes. The zygote during this journey begins to divide and reproduce itself.
2- The uterine wall: The stage during which the embryo hangs on the wall.
3- Amniotic sac: The sac fills with a fluid that surrounds the fetus. The next step of evolution calls for a longer period of development.
A glance at the outward aspect presents a uniformity of sight. But were we to dwindle to the size of a tiny cell and explore the environment, we would see how different these chambers were. The first dark space is reminiscent of a monumental tunnel with respect to the cell. The second compartment is a dark forest where no light penetrates, and the third compartment reflects the dark depths of the sea.
There are three interconnected layers or three spaces through which the fetus passes. God knows whether the reference is to one or to the other. And there are three stages through which the embryo evolves. The three stages in question are:
1- The pre-embryonic stage: This stage is called the “first trimester.” As the cells multiply, they get organized in three layers; this process takes two weeks.
2- The embryonic stage: Basic organs begin to emerge from the cell layers. This stage is referred to as the “second trimester” extending from the second week to the eighth week.
3- The fetus stage: The face, hands and feet appear and the human figure is formed. This is the “third trimester” that extends from the 8th week until birth.
Our shaping up takes place in stages, in each of which new evidences emerge. Data relative to embryology have been acquired only in the recent past. Neither before the descent of the Quran, nor in the course of the millennium succeeding it can you find such information available. The Quran indicated the composition of the semen, from a drop of which man was created. The Quran coined names that describe the development stages of the embryo; namely hanging to the wall of the uterus (alaq), succeeded by the chewed lump of flesh (mudga). Thus the Quran uses terminology based on the positions the fetus assumes. There was no source before the Quran which asserted that the muscles were made after the formation of bones.
To assert a scientific fact, a scientific background is a must. It is on such a foundation that other data can rest, which, in turn, calls for advanced microscopes and micro cameras. At the descent of the Quran, there was no such scientific background or such instruments. Nobody of sound mind can come forward and say that the information in the Quran was a result of fortunate coincidences.
4- We created the human being in the best design
5- Then turned him into the lowliest of the lowly.
95-The Fig, 4-5
35- Were they created of nothing or were they themselves the creators?
52-The Mount, 35
IDENTITY ON FINGER TIPS
3- Does the human being think that We cannot assemble his bones?
4- Surely, We are able to reconstruct even his fingertips.
75-The Resurrection, 3-4
Fingerprints did not mean much to the people at the Prophet’s time. An Englishman by the name of Genn Ginsen, in 1856, found out that the pattern of lines at the tip of a person’s finger was something unique to the individual. Until 1856, men knew nothing about this characteristic of fingertips. The discovery of the fact that the pattern of lines on fingertips was a sort of identity card is often used by the police to help find criminals. The pattern lines of the fingertips differ even in identical twins. This identity card cannot be forged; it affixes a unique signature to whatever it touches. One cannot imitate or deny it. We carry it about us till the end of our days. Epidermal burns or injuries or aging distort our bodies in one way or another, yet cannot change this fact.
These patterns of lines are traced within the womb when the fetus completes its three months’ period. Research is currently being carried out to see whether these lines may be used to detect genetic defects in our body. To the best of our knowledge so far, nothing positive has been discovered on this issue. It is, however, likely that something new may emerge any day.
At the time of the descent of the Quran, fingertips had nothing special about them. God, who will cause man to come back to life on the Day of Judgment, stresses the importance of fingertips.
DATA CONCEALED ON FINGERTIPS
One of the basic indications of this verse may refer to the patterns of lines on man’s fingertips. There may be other indications, according to which all the characteristics of our body are encoded on our fingertips. It could be implied that during our re-creation all the particularities and features of our body will be restored, so it may be that what lies on our fingertips, apparently of little significance, will be sufficient for this process. The reason why fingertips are given as example is the general acceptance that they are simple things of not much worth. Nevertheless, even the seemingly insignificant tip of a finger is a data bank, thanks to which the entire body may be re-fashioned. DNA is one of the most important discoveries in human history. The discovery of DNA put an end to the idea that the human cell had a simple structure with its contents. As the cell came to be analyzed more and more, the complexity of its makeup was better understood. Even one piece of DNA includes a cipher formed of a series of more than three billion codes. From the color of our hair to our little finger, everything is contained in this code. A printout of data related to DNA would form the contents of about 1000 volumes of one million pages. What is more, DNA has the capacity to duplicate all these data within 20 to 80 minutes. In the lore contained in the 1000 volumes of one single DNA, one can find all the characteristics of the body. The DNA of a simple cell on the fingertip will give one all the necessary information. Our Creator can easily have recourse to this lore to re-create man. It would be as easy for Him to do so as if He were creating him for the first time.
78- And he makes comparisons for Us and forgets his own creation. He says “Who can resurrect the bones after they are rotten?”
79- Say “He who created them the first time. He has knowledge of every creation.”
36-Ya-Seen, 78-79
LANGUAGE AND MAN
30- When your Lord said to the angels: “I will place a successor on earth.” They said: “Will you place one there who will commit disorder and shed blood, while we praise You, and extol Your holiness.” He said: “I know what you do not know.”
31- And He taught Adam all the names. Then presented them to the angels, saying: “Tell me the names of these if you are truthful.”
32- They said: “Glory to you, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are Knowing, Wise.”
33- “O Adam, give them their names.” When he told them their names, He said: “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth? I know whatever you reveal and whatever you conceal.”
2-The Cow, 30-33
So far we have dwelt on subject matters related to such natural sciences as physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and geology as miraculously developed in the Quran. In this chapter and in the next three chapters, we will embark on important philosophical considerations coming within the compass of the Quran.
In the verses quoted above the subjects treated are the creation of man by God and His placement of him on earth. Angels who fail to conceive the reason for man’s creation - a potential for committing disorder and shedding blood - bring up the problem of evil and ask God for a justification. God says that He knows things that they do not know and that there is wisdom in everything He creates. Whereupon God emphasizes the superiority of man in that he is taught how to use language.
In this chapter we are going to tackle the importance of man’s use of language. The superiority of man as a being depends on his capacity to use a language. The philosophy of language developed in the 20th century and the vast studies carried on the issue asserts that without language we could not exist as persons as such. Once, Bertrand Russell in the 1920s (he was in his 40s then and had already produced most of the works which had given him prominence) acknowledged that he considered language as a means at the disposal of man, that he could handle without giving it special attention. Bryan Maggee claimed that this held true not only for philosophers, but also for novelists, poets and playwrights. Self-consciousness in the use of language developed, especially in the twentieth century, and became one of the philosophical characteristics of the age.
This development is not limited to a superficial interest in words but also includes in its scope beliefs related to basic issues. The abstract thought made possible by language has proven to be the most important factor in conceptualizing all the aspects of reality in which we had not participated directly, and in handling it as well as in our communication with our environment. The general consensus is that this is the major characteristic that differentiates us from animals. Thus, learning a language enables us to become ourselves. The importance of language had not been conceived as so great, both as regards mankind in general and the individual in particular.
The Quran, 1400 years ago, stressed this importance. Those who take an interest in philosophy should know that most of the new ideas are based on the depository of past acquisitions. Wherever there are hot debates, wherever ideas clash, new concepts arise, be they correct or irrelevant. During the Prophet’s time, there seems not to have been significant philosophical discourse. The Quran’s reference to the relevance of language at such a time - which people would only realize long afterwards - is an interesting statement indeed. At the time and place of the descent of the Quran, there were neither concerns about language nor about its philosophical profundity.
CONTRIBUTION OF WITTGENSTEIN
Using and understanding a language is the distinctive characteristic of man that separates him from other living beings. This forms the essence of our inner existence. The questions raised by Ludwig Wittgenstein played a great role in conceiving the importance of language in the history of philosophy. Wittgenstein asked questions which at first sight would seem platitudes, just like in the case of Newton inquiring into the reason of the planets’ not changing their courses and of the falling of stones thrown in the air back on the ground. Wittgenstein had his precursors, like Locke and Leibniz, as well as Frege and Russell. However, it was Wittgenstein who first brought the issue of “language” into focus in the history of philosophy.
In Tractatus, a work belonging to his first phase, he tried to construct an ideal definition of language that gave a picture of the world. According to him, a sentence that said something (a proposition) had to be “a picture of reality.” Wittgenstein thinks that if we analyze what is said, we can reduce it to words that are but names of things and the connection established between the words of a sentence would represent the connections between things in the world. In this way, the sentence may draw the picture of the world.
Wittgenstein believed he had solved all the philosophical problems. Nevertheless, later on as he advanced in years, he began feeling out of step with Tractatus. In his second period, he began to conceive of language as a kind of tool. In this period he claimed that language was a social phenomenon and activity. The commonality between Wittgenstein’s former view and the latter is that the language skill occupies the center of his concern and that it is transformed into the philosophy of language. Wittgenstein is one of the rare philosophers who managed to gather around him a large number of disciples, despite his two contradictory periods. Wittgenstein saw, during his second period, that language had more meaning than he had originally thought. In our opinion, the merits of a language and the targets that it conveys exceed his belief, even at this period. I shall dwell on this point longer in a book devoted to this subject. These studies are important since they direct our attention to the importance of language, a special gift of God to mankind.
HOW DOES THE BABY BEGIN TO SPEAK?
Frege’s and Russell’s studies of the philosophy of mathematics led to the emergence of the philosophy of language. Noam Chomsky’s statements about language had a considerable impact in the 50s. To be able to handle something as complex and difficult as language cannot be explained just with the hypothesis that the baby learns it only after he is born without any a priori tendency. Formerly, it was believed that a language consisted of a series of habits, skills and aptitudes and was acquired by exercises, repetitions, generalizations and associations. The undeniable fact is that the majority of the public receive no systematic education. In other words, the parents, in general, do not teach their children about pre-established linguistic principles. This becomes all the more apparent if one considers that the great majority of the world’s masses lack a proper education. Yet, this does not rule out the fact that babies do learn how to speak in their tender age.
I agree with Noam Chomsky. The baby must be fully equipped and ready to learn how to speak as soon as it wants to communicate with its environment. As our eyesight is made ready to perceive the world at large, so is our mind prepared to use its innate capacity to acquire what is being spoken around it. As the eye begins to see, wherever there is light enough, so are the ear and the mind exposed to hear the language spoken, in an environment ready to acquire it. As Humboldt says, we acquire as a baby the skill to use finite means in infinite ways. Even intellectually restricted children do the same.
The following example demonstrates the innateness of this aptitude: The mind can be visualized as a function at first, when the empirical data are entered as input; one has the linguistic output, just like the number 5 is obtained when the square root of the number 25 is sought. The mind is even ready to learn how to speak like a calculator. When it meets a language, it acquires it and makes all sorts of operations.
3- He has created the human beings.
4- He has taught him speech.
55-Gracious, 3-4
Language is an innate gift of God to Adam and his offspring. If we go back to the days of our babyhood and inquire into the ways by which we acquired the faculty of speech and built a vocabulary, would we not be in a difficulty to account for the process? How is it then that we learn how to speak without any conscious contribution on our part?
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE HAD BEEN NO SUCH THING AS LANGUAGE?
To appreciate the value of language, we must look for an answer to the question “What would happen if there had been no language?” Had there been no such thing as language, there would have been no states, cities, villages or even families. In a milieu deprived of all social institutions, no production would ever take place. Consequently, there would be no textile products, cars, glassware, pencils, notebooks, etc.
Our mere conception of the importance of language is made possible by linguistic expression. An article on the importance of language is the result of our use of it. Language is not an invention of human beings. Language requires as premise a will and an orientation. Given the fact that the importance of language finds its expression in language, would man be in a position to create a language when the very concept of it was absent? Language is a social phenomenon, and where there is no language, there is no society.
The development of language is certainly possible. But this is possible only when one has the rudiments of a language. A language can develop just like a plant that sprouts. The absence of a language would mean the absence of seeds, the consequence of which would be the absence of vegetation. Just consider (for a while) the coinage of a word to mean a particular concept. On the assumption that men were deprived of a “language,” the fancied word would be doomed to sink into oblivion. The invention of writing was a subordinate process. Where there is no concept of a language, accumulation and transmission of information would be impossible. Given the fact that the importance of language cannot be conceived without it, the socialization of occasionally uttered unintelligible words or sounds emitted cannot be made into a coherent common means of communication. Language is a means calling for consensus of a community. In a milieu deprived of social consciousness, the invention of a language based on consensus is unimaginable.
The newborn is the most helpless creature among the creatures of the earth. It is dependent on its parents for survival. In the absence of a common language there would be no communication, and, therefore, no family. The paternity of the child could not be established. Only the mother could be identified. Where knowledge does not exist, it is difficult to establish any connection between the sexual act and the birth, notwithstanding the period of nine months that elapses before the child is born. Even this connection is made possible by the use of language. The establishing of the family unit and the restriction of sexual relations to couples in humans require the use of language. In such a milieu, the child can only recognize its mother. It would not be easy for a mother to feed her child all by herself. Man cannot be compared with other living beings. Most of the living creatures begin to walk, to fly and seek food a very short time after they are born. The majority of the species of animals are programmed to protect themselves. The long lasting maintenance of the human baby - the weakest of all living beings - is secured thanks to the culture and the communication the language provides. The faculty of thinking through the use of words replaces the innate programming of other living beings.
Had men been deprived of speech from the beginning of their days, they could hardly have survived. The Quran’s statement that the first human being was taught to speak is very important in this respect. Man is born equipped with the mental capacity, with an ear ready to receive what he hears, and a mouth and tongue to express his intentions. Coincidences cannot account for the perfect and complex creation of our ear, mouth and tongue. To all these, however, has to be added the endowment by our Creator of the potential a priori faculty of speech. A more detailed study of this issue will be tackled in a further work.
37- Then Adam received from his Lord words...
2-The Cow, 37
SIGNS WITHIN OURSELVES
53- We will show Our signs to them in the horizons, and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Lord witnesses all things?
41-Elucidated, 53
The Quran uses “nafs” (self) to express consciousness, the quintessence of our personality. “Nafs” is integrated with our physical body; the author of all good and bad acts is our “nafs.”
The fact that the atoms of our physical body - of which 99% is vacuum - deprived of all consciousness, perform such conscious acts as seeing, hearing, and thinking, cannot be explained materialistically will form the subject matter of another book I am intending to write, in which this issue will be tackled within a larger framework, stretching from the philosophy of mind to the quantum theory wherein many scientific branches will find room. With this in mind, I refrain from taking up this issue in this present work.
The point I should like to dwell upon now is the verse’s allusion to signs in ourselves. There are a priori categories that the mind is constitutionally endowed with, concepts or ideas that are not derived from experience. The subject I speak of in this chapter is not based on findings obtained by satellites, telescopes, submarines or on the recent developments in physics, chemistry or biology. Here we find ourselves surrounded by the available data of a rich philosophical background. The tribe to which the Prophet belonged dealt in trade and animal husbandry. The Prophet himself was not brought up in a milieu like Plato’s Academy or in an environment where the colorful and lively schools of philosophy like Cartesianism flourished. Therefore, the fact that the Quran made a distinction between the outward signs and the signs immanent in man’s soul is noteworthy.
ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
The basic message transmitted by all the religions revealed by God is the fact that He is a Perfect Being. This becomes all the more apparent when we witness all the entities created by God. In the ontological argument, attainment of God is achieved not through exterior means, but from the idea of “Perfection” or “Perfect Being” inherent in each of us.
Farabi and Avicenna were among the first philosophers to refer to the initial arguments of ontology. Farabi analyzes the ontological argument together with the cosmological argument. According to them, God must be self-existent (Necessary-Being); assuming that He does not exist would be a contradiction in terms. All other creatures are possible creatures; both their existence and nonexistence can be a topic of discussion. If the possible entities are not resolved in the Necessary-Being, there would be a contradiction in terms. Given the fact that Farabi’s conclusion is a combination of ontological and cosmological arguments, many thinkers believed to have found traces of this for the first time in the works of Avicenna.
Nevertheless, this argument is, more often than not, associated with Descartes. To avoid committing error, he sets out in his philosophical quest by considering all past knowledge as if it were nonexistent. He begins with the statement that many of the preconceived opinions he has accepted since childhood have turned out to be unreliable; so it is necessary once in a lifetime to demolish everything and start again right from the foundations. There follows a systematic critique of previous beliefs. Anything based on the senses is potentially suspect, since I have found by experience that the senses sometimes deceive and it is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.
Elsewhere Descartes expresses this “cogito argument” in the famous phrase, “cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am). He derives from this argument that he exists incontestably and that thinking can never be confuted. Later he realizes that knowing is more perfect than doubting and explains how this idea of perfection leads him to the most perfect, to the idea of a supremely Perfect Being.
He reasons that the representational content (or objective reality) of this idea is so great that it cannot have originated from inside his own (imperfect) mind, but must have been planted in him by an actual Perfect Being - God. Things outside him like the sky, the earth, the light and the heat and a thousand other things, all these things contained nothing that would surpass him. If they were unreal he might have concluded that he had acquired them from the void. However, this could not hold true of a Perfect Being. He could not have acquired it from nothingness.
Descartes concluded the existence of God after having examined the evidence inherent in the self. He said that this conclusion was not an invention of his imagination, and that to add or subtract anything to or from it was beyond him. He had to accept the fact that he had come to the world with this a priori sign. Like the initials that an artist imprints on his work, God had implanted this idea as He created him.
While Leibniz contends that Descartes’ views need to be supplemented, he formulates an ontological argument bearing similarities to Avicenna.
KANT’S TIME AND SPACE CATEGORIES
The Quran speaks of signs in the “self.” So far, I have gone over “the idea of the existence of God” innate in us, as propounded by Descartes and other thinkers like him. I believe that the verse that refers to signs in the “self” meant much more. I am of the opinion that the “self” considered an a priori entity and all the characteristics innate in us come within the scope of this verse.
According to Kant’s matchless discovery that made him what he is, time and space are innate in us before all experience and encounters with the outside world. A little child, who has no notion of distance, moves away from things he dislikes and approaches things that seem pleasant to him. Therefore, man knows whether such things are within or outside his reach as an a priori intuition. In other words, the idea of “space” is already there in his mind without having previously experienced it. The same thing holds true for the “time” factor. The child has the sense of “before” and “after,” prior to other perceptions. Had it not been so, all our perceptions would become chaotic, disordered, in disarray. To go into the details of other evidence related to the innateness of the idea of time and space would necessitate longer discussions. Kant referred to those innate characteristics while analyzing our contacts with the outside world. He said nothing about the fact that these were evidence of God’s existence.
We live in a unique place as the “self.” We can liken the space in which we live to an extremely complex gate. The “self,” along with the a priori categories such as time and space we possess from birth, is the only key to this gate. We open this gate, which is of a complex structure, with the key (viz. our “self”). Whoever it was who created this universe, time and space is also the author of the “self.”
Our capacity of learning how to speak is also innate in us, as we saw in the previous chapter. The innateness of this capacity is also an evidence of our perfect creation along with the time and space categories implanted in us. Not only our physical being but also our mental makeup is made to fit the outside world.
It is our belief that anybody taking up arms against a priori knowledge is doomed to perish!
ENCODED
30- Therefore you shall devote yourselves to monotheism, the creational instinct placed into the people by God. There is no alternation of God’s creation; this is the right religion, but most people do not know.
30-The Romans, 30
What have been encoded in us as a priori data when we were created, conforming to the precepts of the religion revealed by God, are evidence of the perfect creation of God. If we consider the contents of the verse (41-The Elucidated, 53) that speaks of signs in the “self” as being in conformity with the Creation, the matter may be understood better. Many people encounter difficulty in understanding Descartes’ expression of “innate ideas.” To have a better insight into Descartes’ arguments, we need to concentrate very attentively on the structure of the mind. It might be better to conceive of this as the conformity of our creation with the precepts of religion, since it can be understood easily. Most of us seek answers to the questions, “From where do I come?,” “What is the purpose of my existence?,” “Where am I heading?” The reason for our asking such questions is that we are created in such a way as to feel the necessity of asking them. There are many people - people who have inhibited their own impulses - who evade asking such questions and avoid meditating upon them. Our Creator’s inducing us to pose such questions, His creating us disposed to have faith in religion, are indications of a religion that He would reveal. For there is nothing that can provide an answer to such questions outside religion. One of the evidences of the existence of religion is our having been made in a way to be in need of believing in it.
God who makes us thirsty has also created water to quench thirst. God who makes us hungry has also created the food we need. Getting thirsty and hungry are different from the existence of water and food in the outside world. We might feel the need for something that did not exist in the world, rather than water, viz. the molecules whose constituents are hydrogen and oxygen. But the fact is that our body is made to want what it is programmed in it. To be immortal is the thing we desire most, more than our need for water and a meal. Survival is more important than all desires and passions. God made us in such a way as to wish for an afterworld. This need we feel is an evidence of the Hereafter.
Our creation includes in its scope all His evidence, of the evidence of religion and of the Hereafter. I would like to draw your attention to the expression in the above verse: “There is no alternation of God’s creation; this is the right religion.” This postulate is coeval with man’s creation. The person who can decipher the meaning of these signs believes in God, His religion and the Hereafter. The last sentence of the verse, in which it is said that the majority of people do not know this, is very meaningful. As a matter of fact, many people fail to appreciate these signs innate in them, thereby denying themselves.
TELEOLOGICAL CAUSALITY
45- Have you not seen how your Lord lengthens out the shadow? He could have kept it motionless had He liked. Then We made the sun a proof for it.
25-The Distinguisher, 45
In the above verse, there are important signs related to causality. Persons who study philosophy should know that discussions about causality necessitate a philosophical background. At the time of the descent of the Quran, there was not a single treatise that dealt with philosophy or causality in the region in question. It is noteworthy that the Quran emphasizes an issue of extreme importance, causality, in a region where ignorance prevailed among the Bedouins. Most philosophical commentaries considered important were improvements on philosophies inherited from the past. Whereas the statements of the Quran, not based on any heritage, are evidence of its authority.
God says that the shadow He created was not the necessary consequence of the sun, but was created because God willed it so. In the verse, the causality between the shadow and the sun is acknowledged, but the said causality is created on purpose. The pattern laid down by the Quran differs from the one offered by skeptics like Hume, who is skeptical about causality, and from the viewpoints that try to explain the universe based on the determinism of causal principles that have come into existence by pure coincidence.
Causality is one of the basic tenets of science. It is the relation between two events or states of affairs in which one brings about the other or produces it. That is, it connects everything existing in the universe. It stops our world from turning into chaos by establishing relationships between cause and effect. Had there been no relation between cause and effect, understanding our world would have become even more complex than a dream. Sciences like physics and chemistry take causality for granted. The manufacture of airplanes, satellites and televisions is the result of reliability of the cause and effect relationship. David Hume was skeptical about causality, but like all men, he could not help basing himself on the principles of causality. For nobody can go on living while denying causality. For instance, had Hume not taken into his head to write, he could not have produced the Treatise of Human Nature because writing was the cause to produce a book! Gazali’s inquiry into causality was not meant to deny it. His opposition resulted from the attempts at replacing it with God’s will. The famous example he gave about the burning of cotton purported to postulate causality as a created system, to which we refer as teleological causality.
These may seem absurd to those who are not familiar with the deliberations that the issue of causality has given rise to in philosophy. The reason why I am trying to give such explanations is the place occupied in the history of philosophy by extremists’ opinions that deny “causality.” Natural sciences have already gone beyond such contentions, while certain philosophers remain irresolute.
The Quran acknowledges causality. Causal relationships, referred to in many a verse by the attribute of “sunnettulah” (God’s system), are valid throughout the universe. As we shall be seeing in the coming chapters, the Quran points to the mathematical order reigning in the universe. This means the functioning of the cause and effect relationship in a mathematical order. The statements of scientists who translate the principles of causality by having recourse to physical and chemical formulas in the universe and those of the Quran are in perfect conformity.
Although the Quran acknowledges causality, it defines its purpose as a teleological argument. Although, in causal relationships, the cause precedes the effect, the latter’s design precedes the cause. The causality chain, as expounded in the Quran, functions within God’s knowledge and means, and cannot be creative. While it acknowledges causality, the Quran is against the idealization of causality. The existence of shadow is not a necessary consequence of the sun. The Creator of the sun has foreseen the shadow’s existence as a consequence of the creation of the sun. What the Quran propounds is the universal model based on “created causality.”
PROTEIN’S PROBABILITY AND TELEOLOGICAL CAUSALITY
Probability calculations provide us with objective data of a mathematical nature that let us see whether the alternative of intelligent design or the one of coincidence is more credible. In particular, the fact that Hume’s criticism of the analogical version of the “argument from design” was generally accepted in philosophy circles has been one of the reasons for the rise to prominence of the probabilistic version of the “argument from design.” The structure of proteins makes the application of probability calculations possible. Every living cell is made up of proteins. Both as far as the enzymes and as far as their other functions are concerned, proteins are the basic units that run the activities of cells. In the comparison between cells and a factory, the proteins correspond to the factory’s machinery. Proteins are made up of a succession of amino acids. In a living organism, a protein is made up of 20 amino acids. The fact that these 20 amino acids should be placed in a certain order, and that the proteins should have a threedimensional shape, are absolute requisites for a protein. There is a very great difference between the proteinoids, which are formed by a coincidental succession of amino acids, and the proteins, which have a special function within a cell. Amino acids come in two kinds, left-handed amino acids and right-handed amino acids. While proteinoids, which are a result of a coincidental union of amino acids, are made up of both kinds of amino acids, proteins include only left-handed amino acids. What is more important, proteins have to be set up in a certain order if they are to be able to carry out specific duties. The probability that amino acids will turn into proteins just because they have been subjected to energy is the same as the probability that a stack of bricks, which have been blown up in the air with dynamite, will fall back down and form a house.
In living organisms, alongside relatively short proteins like ferrodexin (found in clostridium pasteurianum), which is made up of a succession of 55 amino acids, there are also long proteins like twitchin (found in caenorhabditin elegans), which is made up of a succession of 6049 amino acids. As an example for our probability calculations, let us consider the medium sized serum albumin protein, which can be found in the human body and which is made up of 584 amino acids. The probability that the amino acids in this protein would be made up only of the left-handed kind, can be calculated in the following way:
The probability that an amino acid should be of the left-handed kind: 1/2
The probability that two amino acids should be of the left-handed kind: 1/2 x 1/2
The probability that three amino acids should be of the left-handed kind: 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2
The probability that 584 amino acids should be of the left-handed kind: (1/2 )584
In addition to this, all amino acids have to form a peptide bond, which is necessary for tying up with the other amino acids in the protein chain. There are also many other kinds of chemical bonds that can be formed in a natural environment, among amino acids; the probability of a peptide bond forming is roughly equal to the probability of other kinds of bonds forming. Within the serum albumin, made up of 584 amino acids, 583 peptide bonds are required. The probability of these forming is as follows:
The probability that two amino acids should bond with a peptide bond: 1/2
The probability that three amino acids should bond with peptide bonds: 1/2 x 1/2
The probability that four amino acids should bond with peptide bonds: 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2
The probability that 584 amino acids should bond with peptide bonds:(1/2)583
The probability that the amino acids of a single protein should be all left-handed and that they should be connected with peptide bonds is:
(1/2)584 x (1/2)583 = (1/2)1167 = (1/10)351
We realise that this probability is a practical impossibility from a mathematical point of view, by means of the following reasoning. If we add the 1080 protons and neutrons (total of all protons and neutrons in the universe) to the all photons and electrons in the universe, we obtain a number smaller than 1090. The life span of the universe, 15 billion years x 365 days x 24 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds = 473.040.000.000.000.000, expresses the time that has elapsed since the creation of the universe. We could say approximately that this number is equal to 1018. If we multiply the two numbers, the number we get is 1090 x 1018 = 10108. This number expresses the number of attempts made, if all the protons, neutrons, electrons and photons in the universe had each made an attempt, every single second of the existence of the universe. If we assume that attempts made in a second by each of these are with the highest chemical speed 1012 (one trillion), it makes 10108 x 1012= 10120; but even the probability of two simple events like the formation of a protein with 584 amino acids with only left-handed amino acids and the formation of its peptide bonds is 1 in 10351. This shows us that even if all the protons, neutrons, electrons and photons in the universe had turned into one of 20 amino acids in living creatures and that even if they had made 1012 attempts in each second since the creation of the universe, it would not have been enough even to ensure that the amino acids of a single protein like the serum albumin should be left-handed and that they should be connected with peptide bonds.
This conclusion is indeed very interesting. Following the discoveries of Copernicus, the earth lost its central position in the universe; however, even mobilising the entire matter in the universe could not ensure the coincidental creation of a single protein, which exist in thousands in living organisms that we can see only by means of a microscope.
It is vitally important that the succession of the amino acids in proteins be in the correct order. We can show the probability calculation for the serum albumin protein in the following way:
The probability that an amino acid should be in the correct position: 1/20
The probability that two amino acids should be in the correct position: 1/20 x 1/20
The probability that three amino acids should be in the correct position: 1/20 x 1/20 x 1/20
The probability that 584 amino acids should be in the correct position: (1/20)584 = (1/10)759
If we multiply this number with the 1 in 10351, which we have already calculated, we get the probability that a given protein should be made up only of left-handed amino acids and that it should form peptide bonds and that the succession of amino acids should be in the correct order. This corresponds to a probability of 1 in 10351x10759=101110, which practically means that it is impossible (Generally in mathematics all probabilities less than 1 in 1050 are considered impossible). It could be said that only a certain part of the succession of amino acids in proteins is active and that changes in the amino acids outside this part could be tolerated. This would mean that the actual probability was higher than we calculated; but, on the other hand, if we include the probabilities also of things like the necessity that the protein should happen to be in the correct position within the cell and also that it should exist in the required quantity, then the probabilities decrease.
Those who deny that the causes were created target-oriented have succumbed to mathematics. This calculation of probability was made on the assumption that amino acids are the ones that are used in the living organism, that the three-dimensional folding of the protein has been realized and that after the formation of the protein the functions have been frozen. Supposing that all these stages had been added to the probability- what was impossible would be even more impossible. However, the figure mentioned indicates this impossibility for those who are versed in mathematics. This serum albumin protein whose formation cannot be coincidental is being produced in the millions by our body.
According to the “blind coincidentalist” materialist view, serum albumin is a fortuitous formation. According to the believer, this protein is a target-oriented creation. This example about the formation of the protein can be stretched to cover many things, from the functions in our body to those in other animals and plants, from the phenomena occurring in our world to space. In all these domains the principles of causality function within a teleological framework.
WHAT CAN BE THE CAUSE OF THIS CAUSALITY?
The absence of causality would rule out all mental functions. Whether a universe would be possible without causality is a different matter, but the fact is, we could not understand the world. Our getting hungry is a cause. Our opening the door of the refrigerator with a view to getting the food in it is a cause; so is our reaching for food. The fact that the meal we have before us is subject to gravity and the fact that what we swallow goes down to our stomach are causes and all these causes are simultaneously the effects of prior causes. The principles of causality govern us in understanding all that is created in the world. Our study of the universe, that contributes to our understanding of God’s magnificent artistry and the omniscience of God, is also based on causality. We understand the principles of causality thanks to our mental capacity, God’s gift. We reason based on causality. Our ratiocination is based on causality. Had the causal relationships been simpler, many of us might not have given the creation its due. Had the creation been more complex than it actually is, and had we been unable to solve the mysteries of causality, we could not be in a position to understand the universe. In the existence of the universe, the cause and effect relationship is a consequence of God’s perfect design.
The great blunder of atheists is their attribution of the effect merely to the cause, since they are convinced that the causes in the principles of causality owe their existence to coincidences. The irrelevance of coincidences is shown in the simple instance of a protein. If one concludes that in the cause and effect relationship, the cause is not a fortuitous act, one can derive from this that all effects are but God’s doing. The materialist atheism that considers causality not to be a created process, but the cause’s own making, idolizes matter and the causality principles immanent in it. Once the idea of coincidence is ruled out, all the creatures in the universe automatically become the consequence of an Infinite Knowledge and Infinite Power. Assumptions of coincidental formations in the concept of time in which the stages of creation take place have prevented atheists from conceiving of the Creator. Once the concept of coincidence is dealt with, all knowledge is promoted to the Eternal Existence. Those who assert that an object or knowledge is the product of coincidences establish a connection to a process in time. Once coincidences are ruled out, the existent becomes the outcome of the wisdom of the Eternal Being. This leads to the understanding of the universe as the result of a process, the product (within the principles of causality) of a process, the work of the Eternal Being.
ERROR OF THE UNILINEAR PROGRESSIVE CONCEPT OF HISTORY
82- Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? They were greater in number than these and superior in strength and in the traces in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them.
40-The Believer, 82
There are verses in the Quran that speak of certain communities in the past who had reached a level of civilization higher than the community in which the Prophet lived. These communities had been the authors of works far superior to those produced by the latter. Especially at the beginning of the 19th century, the “historical point of view” occupied an important place. Hegel (1770-1831) spoke of reality as a historical process that could be understood by the categories of historical explanation. His giving meaning to history, understanding and evaluating it were remarkable indeed. But Hegel interpreted history as a linear and evolutionary system that involved continuous and unilinear development. His approach was progressionist. His interpretation of history may be acclaimed, but a viewpoint that conceives every historical period superior to the one preceding it is untenable.
The Quran, an infallible book, proves once again that it is in the right. It acknowledges that past civilizations sometimes produced superior works and proved to be more powerful, thus refuting the linear concept of history. Linear development may have taken place in a given period of history. As a matter of fact, the advancement of science, whose origins went back to the 16th century, have followed a positive trend up until the 21st century. However, to generalize this progressive advancement to cover all of history and every domain would be a great mistake. While formulating his thesis, Hegel seems to have been bewitched by the advancement of sciences from the 16th century up until his own times.
There are more disastrous effects of this concept of history than the uninitiated may conceive. A glaring example is communism. Marx’ materialistic interpretation of Hegel led to massacres in which millions of people succumbed and gave rise to both cold and hot wars. As a matter of fact, the share of this Hegelian concept of history in Marx’s ideology is great. While Hegel evaluated history through metaphysics, Marx preferred to view history materialistically, calling his school “Historical Materialism.”
HISTORICAL VIEW OF COMMUNISM
Marx had a progressionist-linear-historical view (Marx’s emphases on the means of production and economics had had a great impact). This conception contended that a given community had to pass through stages, namely through feudalism, capitalism and socialism, before reaching communism. According to this conception, each of these stages would mark a higher degree of development than the previous one. Thus, the communist stage would be superior even to the modern one. The communists assumed that communism would be supreme bliss and the ultimate perfection in history. Moreover, this was a “scientifically established” view! Those who were against it were considered unscientific. The eventual collapse of communism discredited the Marxist conception of a scientific interpretation of history.
According to them, history’s progressive course could not be forestalled, so that communism was the ultimate stage. Yet most of the school textbooks of today are under the influence of that concept of history whose fundamental logic is that of linear progress. There are no scientific data to justify the opinions that assert that man’s ancestors were primitive hairy creatures as described in the books on anthropology. Engels himself, founder of modern communism along with Karl Marx, acknowledged this. On the assumption that men are fortuitous, he claims that the historical stages must be accepted. Describing the primitives as deprived of language, not even knowing how to kindle a fire, similar to hairy monkeys, would be an illusory account devoid of all scientific justification. There is no corroborative evidence to justify that men were first hunter-gatherers before they came to be acquainted with farming. The idea, which took for granted the fact that history was of a linear and progressionist makeup, led necessarily to the adoption of the new conviction that man’s initial stage had been hunting and gathering, the simplest means of supplying food. The distinct periods of the past qualified as Stone Age, Bronze Age, etc., are also devoid of all scientific evidence.
Whenever such classifications are made, there come moments when gadgets are unearthed, which, in principle should not be dating from the age to which they are supposed to belong. Yet, writers of textbooks are loath to make any corrections therein.
PYRAMIDS, MARTIANS AND ACUPUNCTURE
According to the progressionist linear history conception, every one of the stages that human history has gone through is superior to the preceding one. This erroneous conception is inculcated into the brains of
the majority of mankind. The supporters of this conception of history were nonplussed in the face of the superior characteristics of pyramids. The question has cropped up, inquiring into the mystery of the designers of pyramids, whether their authors might not have been Martians! The great Cheops pyramid at Giza, whose volume is about 2.515.000m3, is 147m high, the base measuring 230m. This structure required the quarrying of six million stones, their transportation, amassment and laying in a fashion likely to challenge long centuries to come.
The power coupled with skill of the Egyptians leaves us astounded. Mentalities shaped according to the erroneous conception of history fail somehow to conclude that architecture in ancient Egypt was at a very advanced stage. For those familiar with the Quranic verses, there is nothing to wonder at in this, since the Quran mentions of works of superior quality that were accomplished long ago.
9- Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength, furrowed the earth and dwelt in it more than they...
30-The Romans, 9
Acupuncture, practiced in China for more than 4,500 years, shows that at a given spot on the earth, people were in possession of anatomic knowledge more precise than we can believe. Acupuncture was the result of a thorough knowledge of the nervous system of the human body and of the distribution of electricity in the body. Someone convinced of history’s linear; evolutionist and developmentalist structure cannot come forth claiming that it appears that the Chinese were more versed in the anatomy of the human body than the following generations. Otherwise this would lead people to attribute the discovery of such facts to the Martians, like certain writers! To try to understand history and give it meaning is certainly commendable. But to dare interpret all the periods of history in every geographical corner of the earth within a unilinear and progressionist concept of history is a great error frequently committed.
This understanding of history has been the source of views that denied the personalities of individuals. These views that idealize the “state” led the right-minded to fascism and leftist persons to communism. The cause of a great many disasters, this viewpoint favored the oppression of the individual by the state, refused to see the state at the service of its nationals as a superstructure created by man, and preferred to consider man as a servant of the state, in which he had an insignificant presence. For those who are not familiar with the philosophy of history, these considerations may seem overstatements. If we look closer at the process initiated by Hegel, we may observe that it played a role, on the one hand, in the emergence of Hitler, and at the same time, of Marx. According to this view, the direction of history cannot be diverted. According to this mentality, whether laudable or execrable, the acts people indulge in have no effect on the retrogressive or progressive courses in history. It is the “state” that plays the historical role, and the course of history cannot change its direction. The human element is absent here as well. The Quran contends that human acts have their consequences in the future development of communities and that many communities have perished because of the evil doings of their members. This view of life is one that saves man from being swept by the storms that have raged in history.
It is true that at certain periods of history mankind has marked significant progress by following a unilinear and progressive course. But
it is simply wrong to generalize this movement to cover the entire past. To view a period of two or three millennia from a similar angle would be incorrect. To call a given century before Christ the “Stone Age,” thus generalizing it to cover the entirety of humanity would be improper. Great divergences between communities at a given age, lack of proper communication, and reasons that thwarted the political and cultural development of societies the world over made a simultaneous development of peoples around the earth impossible. Let us assume that one thousand years hence, archaeological excavations conducted with a view to having an insight into our level of civilization will give different results according to whether these excavations are made in New York or in a remote corner of Africa. While the one that generalizes his findings will conclude that there had been a progression in the history of mankind, the other, having recourse to the same method of ratiocination, will conclude that there had been retrogression.
Another error generally committed is the assumption that products of different domains like communications, arts, medicine, engineering, architecture, morals, farming are put hotchpotch in the same basket. The idea of progression in a given field must not be stretched to include other areas as well. Therefore, while history advances in certain fields, it may recede in others. The correct thing to do would be to adopt an analytical approach and pick up every single product separately and evaluate it accordingly, thus getting rid of the generalizations and facile deductions of the unilinear progressive and evolutionist concepts of history.
POSITIVISM AND RELIGION
Religion has been the field exposed to misconceptions to which the unilinear progressive conception of history led. Auguste Comte (1798-1857) was the prominent representative of this movement. Comte divided history into separate phases. He was confident that mankind would go through three phases before ending up in the system of philosophy to which he gave the name of positivism. In his historical study of the progress of the human mind, he discerned three phases: the theological, the metaphysical and the positive. Comte contended that the origins of the theological phase went as far back as fetishism, and that it was followed by polytheism, ending up with monotheism. In the ultimate phase, qualified “positive,” he stated that science had taken the place of religion. He made use of this argument to condemn all religious orders and philosophical systems prior to his own positive system. While the other systems are “a series of primitive historical phases,” his own system was “the most perfect ultimate phase.”
In the whirlwind of his passion, he dared set up a positivistic religion. This pseudo-Christianity would have a large clerical organization with positivistic temples and positivistic clergy. Comte’s efforts to show the monotheistic religions as but an interim phase in the series of historical periods are devoid of all scientific evidence and findings. Quite the reverse had been the case, since the Ebla tablets of ancient history discovered in 1975 bore monotheistic traces. Comte’s views, utterly devoid of all tangible and convincing evidence, are taken for granted in many school textbooks. In every stage of history there has existed the idea of one God. Monotheism was opposed by the idolaters of the moon or the sun, or communists or positivists at different periods of history. All other beliefs have become calendar pages of history to be torn off, while the belief in one God abides forever.Those who fail to make a historical classification of religions having archeological findings have suggested the following train of thought: “Let us find the most primitive community on earth, for the oldest religion should be theirs, since it must have preserved its traditions.”
Some of the supporters of this line of thought, devoid of all scientific foundation, took the tribe that worshipped natural phenomena as the most primitive of the communities on earth, and its religion, the most ancient. Those who considered the pygmies of monotheistic outlook contended that the primeval religion was monotheistic (Such a line of thought led naturally to different conclusions). This theory on religion, whose proponents have been Andrew Lang and P.W. Schmidt, has been very interesting. According to this theory, most of the religions of the world are but corrupted versions of monotheism. According to Schmidt, idolization of powers of nature is irrelevant, since in order that the powers of nature may be made into gods, one should already have the notion of “God.” According to this view, the reason for the corruption of monotheistic religions and the emergence of polytheism is man’s transforming, in time, of metaphors into identifications. The line of thought ran something like this. “God is Creator, He is like my mother.” “God is the source of everything, He is like the earth.” These metaphors have in time replaced the original conceptualization that came to be identified with a concrete image. Schmidt contended that one of the evidences of the fact that polytheistic religions’ origins lay in monotheism was the fact that the idea of a primeval and all powerful divinity still survived.
The common characteristics of the Eble tablets, Egyptian mythology, and monotheistic religions of differing configurations support the idea that they originated from a single source, but underwent corruption for various reasons. The logical reasoning of Schmidt is more convincing. As a matter of fact, there is hardly anything in Comte deducible or defensible on the grounds of consistency to support the theory of a positivistic phase being the ultimate phase of human evolution. Anyway, based merely on written evidence, it is impossible to arrive at an identification of the primeval religion. But as I have pointed out, both the Ebla tablets dating from 3000 B.C. and the evidence provided by the historical times prove that the faith in one God has always existed. These tablets, in which the names Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Michael, David are mentioned as they figure in the Quran, and the Old and
New Testaments, prove that monotheistic religions always existed.
47- Each community has a messenger ...
10-Jonah, 47
MIRACLES BASED ON ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE PEOPLE OF SABA
109- ...Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them?
12-Joseph, 109
So far our attention has been focused on the miraculous revelations of the Quran and our effort has been to try to work out correlations with natural phenomena. The four preceding chapters were reserved for philosophical issues expounded in the Quran that had had no dialectic background at the time of its descent. The said four chapters must be classified in a separate category. The present and the next three chapters will deal with archaeological findings and their relevance to the ancient communities. Archaeological data differ from the natural sciences in many respects and deriving erroneous conclusions from them is all the more likely. In due consideration of these findings, those tribes that have disappeared must be examined accordingly. The accounts given in the Quran about ancient peoples are not mere stories. They are mostly parables illustrating a moral or spiritual lesson.
128- Did they not learn from the many generations that We destroyed before them, in whose haunts they move? Verily, these are signs for those who possess intelligence.
20-Ta-He, 128
THE PEOPLE OF SHEBA AND THE FLOOD FROM THE DAM
15- There was a sign for the people of Sheba in their habitations: two gardens, one on the right and the other on the left. “Eat from your Lord’s provisions and be thankful to Him. Good land and a forgiving Lord.”
16- But they turned away and We sent against them the flood from the dam. And We converted their two gardens into gardens of bitter fruit, and tamarisks and a few sparse cedar-trees.
34-Sheba, 15-16
Some of the accounts we come across in the Quran also exist in the Old and the New Testaments. As the flood that followed the burst of the dam referred to in the Quran dates from after Christ, it is not mentioned in the Old and the New Testaments.
The “flood from the dam” is also referred to as the “arim flood,” “arim” meaning “dam” in Arabic. Mawdudi, a contemporary Pakistani scholar, made the following comment: “The word ‘arim’ used in the expression ‘seyl-ul Arim’ derived from the word ‘arimen’ meaning ‘dam’ is used in Southern Arabia. This word was frequently seen during the excavations at Yemen. For instance, in a tablet dictated by Abraha, the ruler of Yemen of Ethiopian origin, after the restoration of the great Marib Dam dated 542-543 A.D. the said word was often used. So the expression ‘seyl ul arim’ means the flood disaster in the wake of the burst dam.” The capital of Sheba was Marib. The people of Sheba had become prosperous thanks to this dam. Pliny describes this region as a green spot covered by lush vegetation. The height of the dam at Marib was 16m and its width 60m, while the length measured 620m.The area irrigated was 9600 hectares, of which 5300 hectares were in the southern plain and 4300 hectares in the northern plain (See Cavit Yalç›n, The Perish of Nations).
The “two gardens” referred to in the Quran were these sumptuous gardens in the said valleys. Thanks to this dam and the irrigation system, this region was renowned as the best spot in Yemen, well irrigated and fertile. The Frenchman J. Holévy and the Austrian Glaser proved the existence of the Marib dam. In documents written in the Himer dialect, it was said that the said dam had made the land fertile. The year of its destruction is believed to be 542 A.D. In the wake of its destruction the “arim flood” occurred and ravaged the entire area. Archaeologist Werner Keller also corroborates the account as reported in the Quran: “The fact that such a dam existed and that its destruction ravaged the city demonstrates that the account given in the Quran about the destruction of the gardens is a true account.” As we read of the disaster that the people of Sheba faced, one cannot help feeling that this was the consequence of the ingratitude of the people for the gifts with which they had been endowed. We must acknowledge the fact that the Creator of all the beauties is God, Whom we must extol and give thanks and try to avoid the fate of the people of Sheba.
17- That is how We requited them for their ingratitude. And never do We give requital except to those who are ungrateful.
34-Sheba, 17
THE AAD PEOPLE AND THE CITY OF ERAM
6- Have you not seen what your Lord did to the Aad.
7- Of Eram with lofty pillars,
8- The like of which were not produced in the land.
89-The Dawn, 6-8
There are many passages where the Aad people are mentioned in the Quran. The Prophet Hud was sent to the Aad people to warn them against attributing a partner to God. The Aad people, however, turned a deaf ear on the Prophet’s warning and continued their practice. The Aad community lived in the city of Eram, a city built on beautiful tall pillars, which was destroyed by a storm.
At the beginning of the 1990s the leading papers in the world covered the story of a discovery of towering importance under such headings as “Discovery of a Sumptuous Arabian City,” “Legendary Arabian City Unearthed.” What made this archaeological finding more significant was the mention of its name in the Quran. This discovery confounded those who had insisted that the existence of the Aad community was only legendary. The city in question was discovered by an amateur archaeologist, Nicholas Clapp. Based on written evidence, he set off to unearth the lost city. After long efforts he managed to persuade NASA to have satellite photographs taken of the region in question ; these photographs resulted in the eventual discovery. As the ruins came to be unearthed, it was concluded that the site corresponded to the city of the Aad people mentioned in the Quran. Among the unearthed ruins were the tall pillars described in the Quran. Dr. Zarins claims that what made this city referred to as Eram different from others of its time was these pillars described in the Quran. The other accounts related to this event exactly tallied with the archaeological findings.
DESTRUCTION OF AAD
6- And the Aad were destroyed by a furious, roaring storm...
69-Incontestable, 6
24- So when they saw it as a cloud advancing towards their valley, they said: “This cloud will give us rain.” No, it is what you were trying to hasten! The wind that carries the grievous punishment.
46-The Dunes, 24
When the Aad people saw the cloud that was to bring punishment to them, they thought it was a rain cloud. The sandstorm was seen from afar as a rain cloud. The destruction of the Aad people is often referred to in the Quranic verses. The city in question was unearthed following an excavation that went deep down into the ground. The description in the Quran is in accord with the evidence of the burial of the city of the Aad people under dunes of sand.
21- Remember the brother of Aad. When he warned his people at the dunes, but there have been warners before him and after him. “You shall not worship any except God. I fear for you the retribution of a great day.”
46-The Dunes, 21
“Ahqaf” is the plural of “hiqf” (dune of sand). Some commentators mention the name as a proper noun. But this does not change its signification in any way. Historical data and archaeological findings clearly refer to the Aad people and the city Eram with tall pillars mentioned in the Quran. The unearthing of the city is a recent affair. The Quran says that there have been instances in the past from which we
have to derive lessons and archaeology as a science provides us evidences to prove the truth revealed in the Quran.
15- As for Aad, they behaved arrogantly on earth, against all truth, and said, “Who is more powerful than we?” Did they not see that God who created them is more powerful than they? Yet they refused to believe Our signs.
16- So We sent upon them a furious wind for several miserable days to afflict them with a humiliating retribution in this life. But the retribution of the Hereafter is more humiliating, and there will be no help for them.
41-Elucidated, 15-16
MYSTERY BEHIND THE NAME HAAMAAN
36- Pharaoh said: “O Haamaan! Build me a high tower that I may attain the ways and means.”
40-The Believer, 36
38- Pharaoh said: “O Chiefs! No god do I know for you but myself. So, O Haamaan! Fire some clay to build a tower for me that I may mount up to the God of Moses. I believe that he is a liar.”
28-The History, 38
Haamaan’s name is quoted several times in the Quran as promoter and supporter of Pharaoh, who, claiming to vie with God, and taking a stand against Moses, had ordered Haamaan to erect a high tower so that he might reach the God to whom Moses referred. Prof. Maurice Bucaille, in his Moise et L’Egypte, speaks of the use of the name Haamaan mentioned in the Quran, alluding to the objections raised in history to the use of this name, and gives an account of the corroboration of the account given in the Quran after the deciphering of the hieroglyph. The name Haamaan is also mentioned in the Old Testament as the chief minister or vizier of King Ahasuerus. After the failure of his attempt to cut off all the Jews in the Persian Empire, he was hanged on the gallows which he had erected for Mordecai. The name Haamaan is mentioned five times in the Quran. People with prejudice looking for errors in the Quran claimed that the Quran had made errors while copying the Old Testament and brought forth the name of Haamaan as evidence.
HEAD OF THE QUARRY WORKERS
Jean Francois Champollion (1790-1832), a French Egyptologist and a pioneer in the study of ancient Egypt, is best known for his success on the Rosetta Stone in 1822. The stone in question was found near Rosetta on the western mouth of the Nile by one of Napoléon’s officers in 1799. Its text, a decree commemorating the accession of Ptolemy V, is written in two languages and three scripts: hieroglyphs forming Egyptian parts of the inscription were deciphered by Jean-Francois Champollion, and this led to the interpretation of many other early records of Egyptian civilization. In the Hof Museum of Vienna one can read of Haamaan’s close relations to the Pharaoh. (See: Walter Wreszinski, Aegyptische Inschriften aus dem K.K. Hof Museum in Wien, 1906, J.C. Hinriesche Buchhandlung.) The name “Haamaan” is recorded as the head of the quarry workers, which is in accordance with the sura The Narrations verse 38. (See: Herman Renke, Die Aegyptischen Personnennamen, Vierzeischnis der Namen, published by J. J. Augustin in Glückstadt, Band I, 1935.)
Maurice Bucaille gave the name “Haamaan” to a French Egyptologist, telling him that he had seen it quoted in an Arab manuscript dating from the 7th century. (He did not, however, tell him that the Manuscript in question was the Quran, so as not to prejudice the Egyptologist’s reaction to this). He suggested to Maurice Bucaille that he refer to the “Dictionary of Personal Names of the New Kingdom by Ranke.” Bucaille eventually found the name in the German hieroglyph transliteration list as being the head of the quarry workers.
Another discovery was the engraving of the name Haamaan on a monument in Vienna. The bracket appended to the name Haamaan indicates his special position in relation to the Pharaoh. (The Egyptians used to write the words linked together unless it was to indicate a special situation.)
So, objections raised against the contents of the Quran are brought to naught in every instance. Whenever probing becomes necessary about a particular point, the Quran displays further miracles. The Quran’s quoting the name Haamaan cannot be coincidental. No source other than revelation could possibly have included the name so appropriately in the Quran.
ANCIENT EGYPT AND THE PHARAOH’S BODY
104- Moses said: “O Pharaoh (Firawun)! I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds”
7-The Purgatory, 104
72- They said: “We lost the cup of the king (malik) ...”
12-Joseph, 72
Studies conducted on data acquired about Pharaoh thanks to the deciphered hieroglyph script and Egyptological explorations corroborate that what is said about the parables of Moses, and the accounts related to Egypt and the Pharaoh in the Quran, are exact when compared with tangible historical data. The Quran referred to the Egyptian ruler at the time of Joseph as “malik” (ruler, king) but for the ruler coeval with Moses the Quran uses the word “Firawun” (Pharaoh). Pharaoh was the Hebrew form of the Egyptian “Per-ao” (the great house) signifying the royal palace, an epithet applied in the new kingdom and after as a title of respect, to the king himself. Never before had it been used in this sense. To quote the Encyclopedia Britannica: Pharaoh was referred to in
narrative as “his majesty” or “the good god” or “the sovereign” as a circumlocution of respect. In accordance with the concept of divine kingship, his person was sacrosanct and his insignia - diadem, crowns, scepters, states - had magic properties. Fire gushed from the mouth of the serpent on his crown to exterminate his enemies; in the battlefield his power was such that he could wipe out his enemies regardless of their multitude. He was said to be omnipotent and omniscient, the one who had the overall control in his hands and was the cause of prosperity. The main source of information is the information that the deciphering of the hieroglyphs made available. However, one should keep in mind that this script had been sunk in oblivion since the 3rd century B.C., to be revived long after. The hieroglyph script that had been forgotten about 1000 years prior to the descent of the Quran was discovered and deciphered after more than a millennium.
The Quran relates the events that happened between the Pharaoh and Moses, giving details additional to those found in the Old Testament. What is said about serpents and the prevalence of magic at the time, and Pharaoh’s statement of his divine attribute, tallies with the information about the Pharaoh revealed from the deciphered hieroglyph tablets.
IPUWER PAPYRUS
10: 3-6 Lower Egypt is devastated. The court came to a standstill. Whatever was stored, wheat, rye, geese and fish, perished.
10: 6-3 Crops wasted everywhere
2: 5-6 Disasters and blood everywhere
2:10 Blood flows in rivers
3: 2 Gold and lapis lazuli, silver and malachite, carnelian and bronze decorate the necks of slaves
Ipuwer Papyrus-Leidon 344
130- We punished the people of Pharaoh with drought, and shortage of crops, that they might take heed.
7-The Purgatory, 130
133- So We sent on them; the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs and the blood. How many different signs! But they still remained arrogant, for they were a people full of sin.
7-The Purgatory, 133
57- So We expelled them from gardens, springs.
58- Treasures and every kind of honorable position.
59- Thus it was made the children of Israel inheritors of such things.
26-The Poets, 57-59
The accounts given by the Quran about the punishment inflicted upon the Pharaoh and his followers, like drought and other disasters, and the accounts of the Ipuwer Papyrus are perfectly in tune with each other. As an evidence of the offense committed by the dynasty of the Pharaoh in its denial of Moses’ prophethood, the Quran says that blood was foreseen (the same thing holds true for the proliferation of the locusts, the lice, etc.). In the Ipuwer Papyrus it is said that blood ran in riverbeds, everywhere was smeared with blood. (Studies conducted to this day seem to explain the red coloration of rivers by the existence of protozoa, zooplanktons, sea and fresh water planktons or dinoflagellates. All these organisms would deplete the oxygen in water, giving rise to rapid growth of toxic substances, killing the living organisms and rendering the stream water undrinkable.)
Researchers have devised a course of events that might have taken place in relation to the disasters described in the Quran. According to this fictive account, “The fish in the Nile perished as a consequence of the intoxication of the river, leaving the Egyptians deprived of sustenance. Frogs, whose eggs multiplied in the meantime, invaded the surroundings before they themselves succumbed to poisoning. Decomposition of fish and frogs coupled with the poisonous water of the Nile polluted the fertile land around. Annihilation of the frogs caused the pests like locusts and grain moths to proliferate:” All these are but the product of imagination, surely. We do not know exactly how things happened since we have no available data in hand to make valid deductions. Yet, this account may give us an idea of them.
The Ipuwer Papyrus records the curse of blood, drought and disasters to which the Pharaoh’s dynasty fell victim, and the situation of the slaves, who later were to inherit the former’s possessions almost literally as described in the Quran.
PHARAOH’S BODY SIGN UNKNOWN BY MAJORITY
90- We took the children of Israel across the sea. Pharaoh and his army followed them aggressively and sinfully. When drowning became a reality for him, he said, “I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the children of Israel believe. I am of those who submit.”
91- “Ah now! For you have rebelled in the past, and you did mischief.”
92- “Today, We will save your body, so that you may become a sign to those who come after you. But verily, many people are heedless of Our signs.”
10-Jonah, 90-92
When he understood he was going to die, the Pharaoh was converted. This so-called conversion is looked at askance by God, who says that his body shall be saved as a sign for the coming generations. At the time of the Prophet, and for quite some time afterward, we could not guess that a science called museology would be developed to harbor objects of historical value, amongst others mummified bodies of the Pharaohs. The Quran’s reference to this and to the people heedless of God’s signs are points deserving attention. The signs of God are many and the majority of people are unaware of this. At the time of the revelation of the Quran, mummified bodies of all the Pharaohs lay concealed in the Valley of Kings along the banks of the Nile. Their discovery took place in the 19th century. The Pharaoh mentioned in the Quran may have been any of them, it happens to be among those preserved in the Cairo Museum, open to public visitation. To the period in which Moses is believed to belong,
Rameses II and his son Merneptah correspond. Merneptah’s body bears the traces of fatal blows. It is reported that these marks may have been caused during his drowning or after the recovery of his body, that had washed ashore; the Egyptians mummified him like all the other Pharaohs. The evidence available does not permit us to derive a convincing conclusion about the details of his death. However, no conflicting relationship could be established between the death of this Pharaoh and the account given in the Quran.
The discovery of the Pharaoh’s body took place after an interval of 3000 years (1881-1898). Considering that the Quran had predicted that Pharaoh’s body would constitute a sign, one supposes that it should have been found. Indeed it was found. When and how? Well, after a time gap of 3000 years. What happened though was as the Quran predicted. “...But verily, many people are heedless of Our signs.”
SIGNS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
146- The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth, knowingly.
2-The Cow, 146
In this chapter, we shall be studying the implications in the Old Testament made to the Prophet, to the region where he lived and to the message he brought. The greater part of our book has so far treated such subject matters as physics, chemistry, geology and biology. Also we have tackled, in a separate category, philosophical speculations, and in another separate category archaeological issues. Now we shall be dealing with those parts of the Old and New Testaments that are of special relevance for our present study. Questions that have found answers in the natural sciences, based on observation, were followed by ratiocination in the chapters on philosophy and were followed by historical data calling for detailed analyses in the chapters on archaeology. Now we are to tackle the veracity of information contained in the Bible. According to the Quran, Jews falsified their scriptures by changing the context and meaning of words. This misled the commentators in their interpretations of the signs heralding the advent of the Prophet:
46- Some among the Jews distort the words out of context and say with a twist of their tongues...
4-The Women, 46
41- They change the words from their right places and say “If you are given this, accept it, but if you are given anything different, beware.”
5-The Feast, 41
The fact that Jewish rabbis have tried to misinterpret the signs related to Islam dates from the time of the Prophet. There is reference to this in the verse quoted at the head of the present chapter.
ALL PROPHETS HAVE PROFESSED ISLAM
The Quran accepts that all the prophets descending from Adam are Muslim (submitter). The word “Islam” has also the connotation of “peace.” The Jewish word “Shalom” and the Arabic word “Salam” stem from the same root.
As for the prophet who prophesies peace (shalom), when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.
Jeremiah 28, 9
The word “peace” in this translation has the same root as the word “Islam.” The two prophets, Christ and Muhammad, who came after Moses, announced 1) that there was one God; 2) to worship only one God; 3) To believe in all messengers of God; 4) that man was to believe in the Day of Judgment; 5) that man should lead an honest life, 6) that man should not kill his kind or commit theft, and 7) that man should protect the needy and the orphans, etc. According to the expressions used in the Old Testament, the proof of prophethood was whether the message brought was one of peace (Islam) and whether his word turned out to be true. Thanks to the message brought by Muhammad, billions of people have believed in what he said and have loved God and believed in the Omniscience and Omnipotence of God and that the truth of the revelations in the Book transmitted by him came to be demonstrated by the ensuing historical events and developments in science. Nowhere in the Old Testament can we come across a statement to the effect that Moses is the last prophet.
Someone who believes in the Bible can easily deduce from its contents the evidence of Muhammad’s prophethood. Moreover, the Old Testament’s criterion for the recognition of a prophet was his coming with the prophecy of peace, i.e., Islam in its etymological sense, which word came to be integrated with the name of Muhammad.
6- For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “Yet, once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
7- And I will shake all nations so that the treasures (himada) of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts.
8- The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts.
9- The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace (shalom), declares the Lord of Hosts”
Haggai 2, 6-9
The Hebrew word “himada” mentioned under verse 7 of Haggai stems from the same root as H-M-D in the Arabic language which is the root of the name “Muhammad,” carrying more or less the same meaning. Thus the name of the Prophet or the meaning of his name is mentioned with reference to a glorious event that was to take place in the future. What can be a more glorious event than the advent of Muhammad -who came after the Old Testament- and whose message announced God’s existence to billions? Remember that the word “shalom” (peace) in verse 9 comes from the same root as the word Islam.
A PROPHET LIKE MOSES
18- I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
19- And whoever will not listen to My words that he shall speak in My name, I myself will require it of him.
Deuteronomy 18, 18-19
In Deuteronomy the coming of a new prophet is predicted. Christians claim that reference is here made to Jesus Christ. However, Muhammad, in many respects, was more like Moses and had many more common traits with him than with Christ. It may be that both Jesus Christ and Muhammad were meant. Only God knows the exact reference.
On the other hand, being of Jewish descent, it is quite possible that Jesus Christ was meant, although Arabs and Jews had common ancestors. Michael Hammer, from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in collaboration with some colleagues from the University of Israel, examined 18 divisions in the Y chromosomes of 1371 persons who came from 29 different communities. Among these were European Jews, Latinos, people from North Africa, Kurds, Iranians, Yemenis and Ethiopians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Israeli Durzis, Saudis and 16 non-semitic groups. The studies conducted have shown that Jews from different origins and Arabs descended from a common stock. This is in accordance with the belief that Abraham is the common ancestor of Jews and Arabs.
If we may be allowed to go back to Deuteronomy, it is easy to establish the many traits Moses had in common with Muhammad, rather than with Jesus Christ. Moses, like Muhammad, established a realm. The Christians’ realm was realized after Christ’s death. Knowing that prophets transmit messages bearing common traits, it is difficult to decide whether this prediction refers to Christ or Muhammad.
ORIGIN OF THE PROPHET
1- This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before his death.
2- He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones with flaming fire at his right hand.”
Deuteronomy 33, 1-2
Moses’ prayer just before his death is interesting. The place referred to as Sinai is where Moses had emerged; the second place, Seir is the place where Jesus came from; while the third place is the Paran Mountains and it is the place where Muhammad came from. Thus, in the Biblical statement quoted above, allusions are made to the monotheistic religions which had an outstanding influence on humanity. Here we also see the corroboration of the prophets to come, viz. Jesus and Muhammad; just as the Quran corroborated Moses and Jesus as prophets, so had the Old Testament done this. The prediction in Deuteronomy that the Prophet would come among the ten thousands of holy ones is a remarkable indication because while Muhammad was living, he had ten thousands of followers.
THE CHOSEN SERVANT FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF KEDAR WILL BREAK THE IDOLS
Accounts related to future events in Isaiah make allusions to Muhammad as Prophet. Accounts related to the future in the Old Testament (Isaiah, 42) are in perfect conformity with Muhammad’s ways, in that he broke the idols (8), that he established justice upon earth during his lifetime (3 and 4), that he received the message from Gabriel, the Holy Spirit (1), had ideal ethical values (2-3), shed light over the souls of men who had been blinded (6 and 7), carried over new messages he had received to mankind (10), and was a descendant of a community that had descended from the line of Kedar (11).
1- Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2- He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street.
3- A bruised breed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4- He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
5- Thus says God, the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6- I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.
7- To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8- I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other; nor my praise to carved idols.
9- Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.
11- Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Isaiah 42, 1-11
A careful perusal of these verses may suggest to their reader that allusions to Muhammad are plain. What is still remarkable is that these statements would turn out to come true. This prediction was not made for the time of Isaiah but for later, as mentioned in verse 9. It is interesting to note that in the 17th verse of Isaiah it is said that idolaters would be put to shame, an event that had come true by the revelation of the Quran.
70- O people of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of God of which you are witnesses?
71- O people of the Book! Why do you clothe the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth, knowingly?
3-The Family of Imran, 70-71
SIGNS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
15- O people of the Book! Our messenger has come to you to proclaim for you many things you have concealed in the Book, while passing over much. A light and a perspicacious Book has come to you.
5-The Feast, 15
The Quran claims that the Jews and Christians have used every endeavor to hide or suppress many data. Some of these are related to the tidings of the arrival of Muhammad. In this section of our book we shall dwell on passages that have likely been suppressed. The three monotheistic religions have addressed mankind, bringing almost the same message, with a few reservations that are particularly related to rituals. That God is one and man should adore only one God, the Omnipotent and Omniscient, are common to all the three religions. The Day of Judgment is another common feature. Protection of human life and of the right of possession, sharing one’s riches with the poor, seeking peace and justice, praise of God on every occasion, giving thanks to God and praying are some other points shared by these three religions. As time went by, the clergy and their ignorant followers corrupted the original tenets of the creed. The Quran makes allusions to these men who corrupted the originality of the religion in the garb of religious devotees (See: 2-The Cow, 75; 5- The Feast, 13; 9- Repentance, 31-34). This issue is outside the scope of the present work and will be the subject matter of another publication. To misconstrue meanings, to idolize and deify prophets or religious men, and to make interpolations in the scriptures have been the salient points of this trend. Once the bigots of all the three religions are disposed of, mankind will understand better that the messages of all of them are the same. This is, however, beyond the scope of the present book.
The Torah, the first Book of the three monotheistic religions, predicts the advent of Jesus and Muhammad. The gospels bear witness to Moses and make allusions to Muhammad, while the Quran, being the last Book sent, confirms both Books that preceded it. The miraculous predictions in the Quran are valid evidence that confirm the other Books. (However, we must take due note of the fact that the Old Testament and the New Testament may have been affected by interpolations in the course of time, although many of their fundamental messages remain the same.) I intend to examine the indication related to the advent of Muhammad. What many Christians are apprehensive about is the discrediting of the concept of the Trinity and the belief that Jesus is merely a Prophet. If one accedes to the fact that the gospels predicted the advent of Muhammad, the extolment of Jesus to the point of deification will automatically cease. The signs in the gospels heralding the advent of Muhammad have been hushed up. The church will continue to stick to its age-old creeds in order to be able to wield its ongoing authority and maintain its very existence. We must remember that Jesus spoke Aramaic. The oldest versions of the gospels are in ancient Greek and Latin. Some interpolations may have taken place
during the translation into those languages.
PARACLETE
61- And when Jesus of Mary said, “O children of Israel! I am God’s messenger to you, confirming the Torah before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me whose name is praised (ahmad).”
61-The Column, 6
The Quran says that Christ gave glad tidings of the advent of Muhammad. Those who failed to directly recognize such an expression in the Gospels - based on the Quran’s statement that the believers in the Bible had concealed their religion - thought that the Christians had obliterated the relevant verses in the gospels. This may have been true for some of the verses. Some researchers have concluded that some of the meanings have been misconstrued and that the said tidings in the Quran still existed in the Gospels.
The Quran mentions the adjective “ahmad” (meaning being more praised). As a matter of fact the names Ahmad and Muhammad stem from the same root. Some are of the idea that “Ahmad” was a proper noun. In our opinion, its literal sense should prevail here. For the name Muhammad is mentioned in four different places in the Quran: (See, 3- The Family of Imran, 144; 33-The Parties, 40; 47-Muhammad, 2; 48- Victory, 29). This is our opinion. However, nothing would change if “Ahmad” were to be taken for a proper name. Both have some meaning and are derived from the same root, viz. H-M-D.
Let us take a look at the prediction of the Prophet in the Gospel according to John. Jesus’ last words, exchanged with his disciples before he was arrested and taken away at the conclusion of the Last Supper, are recorded only in the Gospel according to John. The other three Gospels do not mention them (ascribed respectively to Matthew, Mark, and Luke). How should we explain, then, the absence of his conversations with his disciples in the three other gospels? Can it be that they existed once in the other gospels, but were omitted afterward?
15- If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16- And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper (Paraclete) to be with you forever.
John 14, 15-16
26- But the Helper (Paraclete), the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14, 26
7- Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Helper (Paraclete) will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8- And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
John 16, 7-8
13- When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14- He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 16, 13-14
Christians claim that by “Paraclete” is meant Gabriel. On the other hand, Prof. Maurice Bucaille, who censures the interpretation of the word “Paraclete” mentioned in the gospels as the Holy Spirit (Gabriel), gives the following account based on the etymology of this Greek word, pointing to its meaning: “The teaching of mankind referred to here is in no way restricted to the inspiration provided by the Holy Spirit(Gabriel).
Due to its intrinsic meaning in the Greek that denotes spreading of knowledge, it has a concrete connotation. The Greek verbs ‘akouo’ and ‘laleo’ refer to concrete acts which can only be related to a being endowed with the sense of hearing and speech. Therefore, attribution of such acts to Gabriel is preposterous. The logical conclusion is that the reference in John’s Gospel must be to a man endowed with the sense of hearing and talking, like Jesus Christ. The Greek text categorically requires these faculties. It follows from this that Jesus Christ had predicted that God would send after him another man who would bear God’s commandments and messages, to be transmitted to mankind like the mission of a prophet. The words in some of the present texts referring to the Holy Spirit are interpolated. The objective was to alter the meaning of a text in which the advent of a new prophet was predicted.”
THE PROPHET
19. Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levies from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20. He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed “I am not the Christ.”
21. And they asked him “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered: “No.”
John 1, 19-21
Three questions are asked to John the Baptist to which he gives negative answers: 1) Are you Christ? 2) Are you Elijah? 3) Are you the Prophet? In the Gospel according to John, John the Baptist explicitly states that he is not Elijah. Three different people are mentioned: 1) Jesus; 2) Elijah; 3) The Prophet. We know that John the Baptist was contemporary to Jesus. The Gospel says that Elijah had come and suffered in man’s hands (Matthew, 17, 12). Who was “the Prophet” then? Men had been waiting for the advent of the Prophet mentioned in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy18, 18; we have already examined this in the previous chapter). It is clear, then, that “the Prophet” is a person other than Jesus. Who was, then, “the Prophet” who had not come yet during the time of Jesus and carried the messages of God to the people? We think that there is no other person than Muhammad who fulfilled this mission after Jesus.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE FALSE PROPHETS?
15- Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16- You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17- So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18- A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19- Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20- Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Matthew 7, 15-20
Nowhere in any of the gospels does it say that no other Prophet will come. The following criterion is given in the gospel: Examine the fruit and distinguish between the one who speaks the truth and the one who is a liar. If no other prophet had been predicted to come after Jesus Christ, he might have said: Whoever comes after me claiming to be a prophet, he is a liar. The method that Jesus suggested to distinguish between the true and the false prophets is a sufficient proof of the advent of a prophet after Jesus. This fact should constitute an acceptable evidence for Christians. Someone who came after Jesus, who believed in one God, who put his trust in God, who loved Him and was instrumental in establishing societies that had gotten rid of their idols, could not be any person other than Muhammad.
Despite all these signs in the Old Testament and the New Testament, rabbis and the Christian clergy have vied with one another to hush them up; the viewpoints of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, the Pope in Rome and the archbishops, whose names are not mentioned in any one of the Gospels, seem to be more authoritative than the Scriptures for the majority of the Christian population.
MEETING AT A COMMON POINT
Neither in the Old Testament nor in the New Testament is there anything to suggest the validity of the dogma of the Trinity. The idea of the trinity is a forced argument. The authority of the Church has overruled the authority of the gospels. The Trinity has become the sine qua non of Christianity. Had the dogma of Trinity been so important, shouldn’t it be explained over and over again by God’s messengers and prophets in the Old Testament, or at least in the gospels of the New Testament? Christians confirm the Old Testament as an authority. How is it that the Holy Spirit (Gabriel), indicated to be one of the three, is not mentioned as such in the Old Testament? Why is there no mention in the Old Testament of the advent of the Son of God or the transfiguration of God? If this were so important why do we not encounter it anywhere in the Old Testament, which is the revelation of God?
The problem of God the Father and God the Son was the consequence of an interpretation made by the Church. God in the contemporary Gospels is referred to as the “Father” of all men and his believers, his sons. The words “Father” and “Son” are but similes, as an impartial reader may readily see:
So that you may be the sons of your Father who is in the heaven.
Matthew 5, 45.
Our guess is that an expression that the persons referred to in the Aramaic language as the God and Lord of all people was rendered into Greek as “Father” and the expression that referred to “a cherished servant” was rendered as “Son.” The source of this distorted translation must have been the men clothed in religious garb. As we have no Aramaic version in hand, we cannot prove this argument. However, the way these words are used in the Gospels supports our point of view. The religious authority that silenced all arguments against it during the Nicene Ecumenical Council laid down the concept of the Trinity. Before concluding, I would like to quote two more verses from the Quran.
31- They take their anchorites, their priests and the Christ, son of Mary, as Lords instead of God. Yet they were all commanded to worship only one God. There is no god except He. Glory to Him, from having the partners they associate.
9-Repentance, 31
46- Do not argue with the people of the Book, except in the nicest manner -unless they transgress- and say, “We believe what has been sent down to us, and we believe what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is one and the same. And to Him we submit.”
29-The Spider, 46
VICTORIOUS ROMANS AND THE LOWEST SPOT ON THE EARTH
2- The Romans have been defeated.
3- In the lowest part of the earth. But after defeat they will soon be victorious.
4- Between three or nine years. God’s is the imperative first and last. On that day the believers will rejoice.
30-The Romans, 2-4
At the time of the descent of the Quran, the Romans were practicing Christianity while the Persians were Zoroastrians. The Muslim population was grieved to hear that it was the Persians who had won the war against the Romans since Christians were monotheists. The victory of the Zoroastrians against the believers baffled the Muslims. The Quran predicted that the Romans (Byzantium) would soon become victorious and that the believers would rejoice. The expression “beda seneen” in verse 4 refers to the numbers ranging from three to nine. The number of followers of Muhammad continued to increase. Had this statement of the Quran proved to be wrong, the confidence of the followers in Muhammad would have been shaken and the number of apostates would have grown. For a person not firmly convinced that the Quran was the revelation of God, such a prediction would be fatal for the system. If such a prediction were to prove false, it would have lost more of its authority than it would have gained had it turned out to be true. But it was God who revealed the Quran. So there was no risk. Thus the confidence of the followers increased even more.
SUCH DARING
Yes, self-confidence, daring and categorical prediction! This is either a proof of wisdom or the foolhardiness of the ignorant. The result indicates which was which. Those who doubt that this was not a revelation from God may conclude that it was guesswork, without considering the consequences that would put everything in danger. Something difficult was being heralded. A nation that had lost its cause was promised a triumph in a subsequent conflict.
Had this prediction turned out to be false, the believers might have lost faith and given trump cards to the hands of the opponents of the faithful. None of the accusations by unbelievers of Muhammadattributing to him insanity, necromancy and opportunism- came to be true as they failed to belie his words. The unbelievers were badly in need of such accusations. It was certainly more difficult to attack the Prophet and his followers with daggers drawn. If the people who attributed partners to God were able to come forth with such evidence, they would prefer to use it rather than wage wars. So all the predictions of the Quran came true and no objections could ever be raised by the unbelievers. Nevertheless, there have always been and will be people who turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the revelations of the Quran. This did not prevent the Quran from eventually becoming the sovereign power of the region under the domination of the Prophet during his lifetime.
FROM DESPAIR TO VICTORY
Students of Byzantine (Roman) history should know that the Byzantine Empire suffered one of its gravest defeats in the 7th century at the time of the descent of the Quran. Although the Byzantines solved their problems in the coming years, during that time period, one of the main reasons for their serious downturn was the problem that the Persians generated.
Historical sources approve the Quranic information. It was thought that, since the Byzantines had suffered such a defeat, they could no longer recover. Records speak of Heraclius’s collecting and melting in a crucible all the gold and silver of the churches to meet the expenses of the army. The Persians had already occupied Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia, all places that had once been under the domination of the Byzantines. In such a time of despair, the Quran predicted that the Byzantines would triumph within three to nine years. Historical records add that because of this statement the Prophet and his followers were held in derision, as there was little hope of the realization of this prediction coming true.
The Quran was to confirm this like all others. Byzantium won a victory over the Persians somewhere near the ruins of Nineveh in 627 AD, about nine years after the revelation of the prophecy. The Persians signed a treaty, according to which they turned over the territories they had occupied.
THE LOWEST SPOT OF THE EARTH
3- In the lowest part of the earth...
30-The Romans, 3
Verse 3 of the sura The Romans speaks of the defeat of the Romans at the lowest part of the earth. The Arabic expression “edna al ard” (the lowest part of the earth) has been translated by some commentators as “land close by.” We think that this rendering does not express the essential meaning of the verse, that such a rendering may be taken as a secondary meaning. The translators were at a loss to understand the exact meaning of “edna al ard” and thought it best to give it the secondary meaning. We hope that after our remarks they will revise their work.
The region where the Byzantines suffered defeat was the Dead Sea, a place that is approximately 400 meters below the sea level, viz. the lowest spot of the earth, the highest being the Himalayas. A miracle of the Quran was its prediction of the war that was to be won by the Romans, a fact that at the time could hardly have been expected; another miracle was its foreknowledge about the place being the lowest spot on earth; something that could only be verified with the measuring techniques we gained in the last century.
YOU WILL CONQUER MECCA
27- Truly God fulfilled His messenger’s vision. You will enter the Restricted Mosque in security, if God wills. You will cut your hair or shorten it, you will not have any fear. Since He knew what you did not know, He has preceded this with an immediate victory.
48-Victory, 27
Another prophecy similar to the victory of the Romans was the realization of the premonitory dream of Muhammad in which he saw himself entering the Restricted Mosque (the mosque which surrounded the Kaaba of Mecca, the place of pilgrimage). Just to remind you, the Prophet and his followers had been expelled from Mecca and the Meccans were superior both in military power and equipment.
Many prophets died before they could establish sovereignty in the land in which they spread their religion. Had there been no such tidings, Muhammad could not possibly have foreseen that the day would come when he would be in a position to conquer Mecca.
All Quranic verses reflect poise, confidence and self-reliance. There is nothing in them to suggest the ambivalence, vacillation and equivocation that one can encounter in other works whose authors were human beings.
89- ...We have sent down to you a Book explaining all things, a guide, a mercy and glad tidings for those who submit.
16-The Honeybee, 89
ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB, ELECTRICITY, RAPID TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL AND NEW MEANS OF COMMUNICATION
35- God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is that of a niche in which is a lamp. The lamp is enclosed in glass. The glass is like a pear-like planet. Lit with the oil of a blessed tree, the olive, neither of the east, nor the west, whose oil appears to light up even though fire touches it not. Light upon light. God guides to His light whomever He wills. God sets forth parables for the people. God knows all things.
24-The Light, 35
We believe that there are implications in the Quran indicating certain important inventions that were to take place in the future for mankind. At the time of the Prophet, when these inventions were beyond human imagination, people could not have imagined them. How could it be possible to explain to these people what electricity and the electric light bulb were?
The verse above seems to hint at electricity and the light bulb. However, I am not claiming that this is its only significance. It is certain that the scope of it must be larger than that. While the verse points to a fundamental issue in referring to light, it also seems to have the connotation of an electric bulb and electricity.
Light (“noor” in Arabic) is described enclosed in a glass. The fuel of this light within the glass comes neither from the east nor from the west, as the fuel consumed at the time was olive oil, but the expression here seems to point to a source of energy other than olive oil. The expression east and west means the entire world. An energy whose origin is neither the east nor the west must be an unknown energy. When this fact is seen within the framework of the expression, “to light up even though fire touches it not,” one generated by an energy without fire suggests electricity.
This verse certainly has other connotations. But it is impossible not to think of electricity. At the end of the verse, mention is made of parables. Recourse to parables is a method used by the Quran to convey information to the public who may not be in a position to understand what is communicated.
The imaginative scene that this verse generates in our mind is the following: the electric bulb that is lit in a dark room without having recourse to a flame illuminates the entire medium. Likewise when we look at the universe around us without our being aware of God’s existence, deprived of all faith, everything will look dark, void and suggestive of despair. Once we take cognizance of God’s existence and are enlightened by religion, our world will be illuminated just as the dark room is lit up. An aimless life will become meaningful, despair will yield itself to hope, and the feeling of being in a void will be replaced by a sense of existence. That is, the dark will be turned into light.
RAPID TRANSFER OF THINGS
40- The one who had knowledge of the Book said, “I can bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye.” When he saw it settled in front of him, he said, “This is a blessing from my Lord; He tests me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Yet if one is grateful, he is grateful for himself, and if one is ungrateful, truly my Lord is Rich, Honorable.”
27-The Ant, 40
The Prophet King Solomon wanted the throne of the Queen of Sheba brought to him as soon as possible. Someone came forth telling Solomon that he would bring it before the King could stand up. Upon this, the person “who was given knowledge of the Book” promised that he would bring it within the twinkling of an eye, and granted Solomon’s wish.
Emphasis is made here to the knowledge of the person who performs this feat. It is not said that this so-called miracle was the doing of the Prophet or due to the jugglery of a jinn. What is of particular importance here is the fact that if one has the true knowledge of something, it is possible to convey it at a very high speed.
Thanks to the state-of-the-art science and technology in our age, the sound and image of a material in any part of the world can be transmitted at a speed almost equal to the one expressed in the verse. This is not the transportation of the matter itself, though. Could the transfer of matter itself be possible one day?
As a matter of fact, scientists have made some progress. For example, in 1993, researchers from Innsbruck University in Austria were able to transfer photons from one spot to another. They dreamed of conducting the transmission of atoms and molecules using the same method. In the future, even the teleportation of the human body is speculated.
The attitude of Solomon in the verse quoted must set an example for all scientists. What he saw led Solomon to realize that he was being tried as to whether he was ungrateful or grateful, and thus he decided to turn toward God, in thanks. A scientist should take cognizance of the fact that whatever he discovers or invents is due to the brain, eyes and hands given to him by God, within the laws He has laid down, and give thanks to Him.
NEW MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION
8- And the horses, the mules and the donkeys for you to ride and for splendor. Additionally, He creates what you do not know.
16-The Honeybee, 8
While enumerating the means of transportation of the past, God predicts that man will use other means in the future. We, who know how comfortable it is to travel by airplanes, trains, cars, etc., can easily understand the reason for the drawing of our attention to means of transportation unknown at the time.
When the universe was created, all scientific discoveries existed potentially. All the natural laws, materials used in the manufacture of a car, the possible shapes and designs and configurations of the materials in question, as well as the energy needed, like petroleum, to run the car were already there. The Creator of the world had arranged everything beforehand. Therefore it is incumbent upon us to give thanks to Him and not to be ungrateful.
6- Truly man is to his Lord ungrateful.
100-The Gallopers, 6
THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE IN THE END OF THE UNIVERSE
3- Those who disbelieved said, “There is no coming of the Hour for us.” Say, “No, by my Lord, the knower of the unseen, it will certainly come upon you.”
34-Sheba, 3
50- If We give him a taste of mercy after suffering some adversity, he says, “This belongs to me. I do not think that the Hour will come. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will find in Him better things.” Certainly We will inform the disbelievers of all their works and We will afflict them with severe retribution.
41-Elucidated, 50
In the first part of our work we dwelt upon the creation of the universe. The time has come now to examine the end of the world and the universe as expressed in the Quran. We are fully convinced that there has been no other book in the entire history of mankind that has given such a detailed account of the beginning and end of the world. Delve into all the books in history preceding scientific data and you will see that there is none like the Quran. It was said that the Quran would provide the signs and evidence; here they are, then! Will these not suffice for someone who is unbiased?
It is man’s habit, confined in his own time bracket, to consider everything around him as constant and static. At the time of the Prophet, speaking of the end of the world, and especially of the universe, would be beyond conception. People ignorant of the fact that
the world was an object flying in space, considered it a safe and sound place under their feet. They could not have believed that the day would come when everything would vanish.
As the accumulation of knowledge increased, thanks to scientific discoveries, it became clear that the end of the universe and of our world was inevitable. No one of sound mind today would assert that the world will exist forever. Even if no other celestial phenomenon occurs, it is certain that once the energy of the sun is exhausted, the end of the world will become unavoidable. However, the way and the exact time of this occurrence cannot be predicted.
To give you an example, the laws of thermodynamics indicate that the end will come. A stove’s heating of a room; our leaving a cup of tea to cool down are subject to this law. Especially Rudolf Clausius’s studies have led to the adoption of a measure of the unavailable energy called entropy. The total entropy continuously increases in the universe. The sun’s heat flows toward the cold of the universe and this process is irreversible...
LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS SEEN UNDER THE LIGHT OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Will this process go on forever? The answer will be “No.” When heat reaches a constant temperature, there comes about a static state called “thermodynamic balance.” The flow of heat from the sun and from the multitude of stars may last for billions of years, but it is not inexhaustible.
At the end of a time bracket, the laws of thermodynamics will make the activities going on in the universe come to a standstill. Under the circumstances, we can make the following deductions:
1- That the universe had a beginning, and
2- That it will come to an end one day.
All religions that have expounded belief in one God throughout history have been defenders of these two arguments. The Quran had this to say about the beginning and end of the universe. (In the first three chapters we read the miraculous statements of the Quran about the beginning of the universe.) On the other hand, materialists claim that matter has existed since eternity and will continue to exist forever and ever. In other words, they deny the beginning that led to the idea of creation and the end of the world and the universe, the sine qua non of religion. (In the two verses quoted above we saw the objections raised at the time of the Prophet against him.) When, as a result of developments in astrophysics, it became clear that the universe did have in fact, a beginning and an end, some atheists tried to fit their theories to the new discoveries. However, it is evident that before this issue was scientifically established, the atheists were against this idea. Nevertheless, despite the data provided by scientific studies, there are still atheists who refuse to believe that the universe had a beginning and that it will have an end.
The laws of thermodynamics confirm the assertions of monotheistic religions. This is then the scientific evidence supporting the teachings of the three major monotheistic religions regarding the end of the world. Had the universe existed since eternity, according to the laws of thermodynamics, all actions in the entire universe would have come to a standstill by now (according to thermodynamic balance). The fact that there is still action in the universe shows that the universe had no eternal existence, but that it had a beginning. Given the fact that there is still action going on in the universe and that it had a beginning, the end of the universe must come- at least according to the laws of thermodynamics. However, it appears that we shall not have to wait for the consequence of the laws of thermodynamics (We shall come back to this point in Chapter 68 and 69).
DEATH OF THE STARS AND THE SUN
8- When the stars are put out.
77-The Emissaries, 8
At the time of the descent of the Quran, people believed that the light of the stars would last forever. This at a time when the inner structure of the stars was a mystery and the fact that the energy of the stars would, one day, be exhausted was not known. The Quran’s prediction about the end of the stars is a miraculous statement.
2- When the planets are scattered.
82-The Shattering, 2
While the verses speak of the putting out of stars, the planets, not light sources, will scatter. The Arabic word for a star is “najm,” while “kavkab” is a planet. Given the fact that the planets are dependent on a central star, when this star is no more, the planets will necessarily scatter. (There have been translators who translated both words as stars without heeding the difference between them.) Planets are not light sources, therefore their extinction is out of question. The Quran displays its miraculous attribute in all its statements.
1- When the sun is rolled.
81-The Rolling, 1
The Arabic word “takwir” refers to the wrapping of the turban around the head in a spiral form; it also means the rolling or winding of a thing into a ball or round mass, or around something. The scene describes how the end of the sun will come. Like all the other stars, our sun also consumes hydrogen atoms by transforming them into helium atoms and releasing energy in the form of radiation, heat and light. The transformation of hydrogen into helium stops with the exhaustion of the hydrogen. Even without the effect of other potential causes, the sun will have to come to an end for this reason. Before their extinction, the stars, according to their sizes, pass through such phases as red giant, white dwarf or black hole. In view of its magnitude, our sun must turn first into a red giant before dying.
The sun has been a subject of worship in the history of mankind. People who did not believe in the end of the universe considered the sun itself to be an immortal divinity and thought that the universe and the earth would last eternally; there have been those who believed in the transmigration of souls everlastingly. Having eventually been convinced by scientific discoveries that the world was doomed to die one day, the minds that idolized the sun and the belief in the eternal reincarnation cycle lost their support. The belief in the Hereafter described in the Quran and the end of the universe are interconnected as the stages of a system. Taking cognizance of the fact that the end of the universe will eventually come has reinforced the belief in the Hereafter.
7- And verily the Hour is coming, no doubt about it, and that God will resurrect those who are dead.
22-The Pilgrimage, 7
The description of the end of the universe in the Quran relating to the end of the sun and of the world is given in striking colors. What the people at the Prophet’s time knew about astronomy could not possibly have permitted them to describe such occurrences. Muslims who lived at the time of the revelation of the Quran believed in all these, not because of scientific deductions but because they had faith in the fact that it was easy for God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, to destroy them. All the statements of the Quran about the disappearance of the stars, the sun and the earth are corroborated today by scientific discoveries.
EARTHQUAKES WITH BOILING SEAS
4- When the earth will be shaken up.
56-The Inevitable, 4
When the Hour comes, the entire earth will be shaken by a terrible earthquake. The Quran says that the tremor will cause mountains to be pulverized, and men will run to and fro in panic. As for the sea, we have the following indications:
6- When the seas boil.
81-The Rolling, 6
3- When the seas are suffered to burst forth.
82-The Shattering, 3
An earthquake will pulverize mountains, hot lava will burst forth from many corners of the earth. Volcanoes will erupt and lava will rise from the sea. It is unlikely that the depiction of the end of the world was an exaggeration of natural disasters that Muhammad experienced in his lifetime. The area where Muhammad lived was not on a major earthquake fault-line, and those who spent most of their lives in the middle of desert, most likely, never witnessed the eruption of a volcano in mid-ocean!
5- When the wild beasts are summoned.
81-The Rolling, 5
The Quran draws our attention to the herding together of animals. We know today that animals react to a tremor even before we, as human beings, realize it. For instance, in the zoo in Seattle Woodland, the odd movements of elephants and the restlessness of gorillas in their cages were observed before the earthquake was felt by human beings. This is a domain in which further research studies are being conducted. In view of this statement of the Quran, we think that this research should be intensified.
3- And when the earth is flattened out.
4- And when it throws out whatever it contains and is empty.
84-The Splitting, 3-4
The contents of the earth, the magma, the molten rock, will rise to the surface as lava, as described in the verses quoted.
The Quran would like us to turn our attention to the most serious event of earth history to come. Advanced science has demonstrated that the end of the world and the universe is inevitable. No one can assert any longer that the stars and the sun will shine forever, and that the universe and the earth will abide to eternity.
18- Are they waiting until the Hour comes to them suddenly? Its signs have already appeared. How can they benefit then when it has come upon them?
47-Muhammad, 18
FROM BIG BANG TO BIG CRUNCH
104- On that day We will fold the heaven, like the folding of a book. Just as We initiated the first creation, We will revert it. This is Our promise. We will certainly fulfill it.
21-The Prophets, 104
I would like to bring an interesting point to your attention. In the verse it is said that God will return it to its former state. Therefore, to be able to understand the end of the universe, we have to go back to the first three chapters of our book where the beginning of Creation is described. The fact that they appear in the same sura is meaningful (The beginning is explained in the sura The Prophets; verse 30, in the same sura, verse 104, the end is explained).
30- Do not these disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were an integrated mass, which We then split, and from water We made all living things? Will they not believe even then?
21-The Prophets, 30
47- With power did We construct Heaven. Verily, We are expanding it.
51-The Dispersing, 47
We deduce from the above two verses;
1- that the universe was separated from a whole, and
2- that the universe formed following this separation is expanding.
The extraordinary miracle in these verses of the Quran was examined in the first three chapters. Now if we may be allowed to go back to the verse we quoted in this chapter, if the universe is going to regress to its original state, then:
1- the expanding universe will have to contract, and
2- the expanding universe will return to its primordial unity.
Experts versed in astrophysics will take cognizance of the magnificence of this verse. We know today that the universe is expanding. We also know that this expansion is the consequence of the acceleration generated by the Big Bang. We are faced with two alternatives here. According to one of them, the expanding universe will spread out to a vast expanse, all the stars will have exhausted their energies, the temperature will fall and thus the end will be reached. Following the exhaustion of the energy of the stars and the coming to a standstill of all actions, all celestial bodies will break apart and escape from gravitational force. This is called the “Open Universe Model.” According
to a second alternative, the expanding universe will stop because of the mutual attraction of all bodies, and the universe will contract to return to its primordial state.
ONE MIRACLE AFTER ANOTHER
It seems that the Quran’s implication is inclined toward the second alternative. At a time when people believed that the earth stood on the horns of an ox or on a fish, the Quran’s description of the event was incredible. There is no way this fact could have been rendered from the scientific knowledge base of the day, or have been a product of fancy or flight of thought. The source of this knowledge is not scientific observation but God’s revelation. The verse under our scrutiny also gives an answer as to which of the two alternatives man should put faith in. The greatness of the Quran, which stated that the universe was created from the one primordial wholeness, that it expanded, and that it would shrink back -at a time when all scientific evidence was lacking- is understood better today with the advance of science and the discovery of the mystery of the universe.
The collapse of the universe is referred to as the “Closed Universe Model.” The power to realize this folding up is gravity. As we know, all matter is in mutual attraction. When something is thrown into the air, the object thrown cannot help falling back after some time because of gravity; matter that has scattered in every possible direction in space following the Big Bang will retrace its steps in a given time to be folded up. We must remember that at the time of the descent of the Quran, the notion of gravity did not exist and that it was to be known some one thousand years later, thanks to Newton’s discovery.
Once the expansion of the universe was established, scientists began to study whether the universe would continue to expand or come to a close by folding up. To this end, they tried to find out the critical density of matter in the universe and arrived at certain ratios that they called “Omega.” If the density in the universe is at a certain level, the process of folding up will begin before the scattering of matter into infinity...
Humans are born, live and die and eventually return to the dust of which they were made. The same thing holds true for beasts and plants. It appears that the law that governs all living creatures is also applicable in the case of the universe. In the verse we examined, this event is stressed with the word “revert.” Following are the verses in which this word is used.
27- And He is the One who first creates and then reverts it.
This is very easy for Him. And to Him belongs the most sublime similitude, in the heavens and the earth. And He is the Almighty, Wise.
30-The Romans, 27
34- Say: “Can any of your idols initiate creation, then revert it?” say “It is God who initiates the creation, and then reverts it. Then, how could you deviate?”
10-Jonah, 34
HEAVEN RENT ASUNDER AND THE RED ROSE
37- When the heaven will split asunder, and become rosy red like the dregs of anointing oil.
55-Gracious, 37
The Quran speaks of the color of heaven on the day the solar system comes to an end. Heaven’s “split asunder” is also mentioned in other verses of the Quran.
9- When the heaven split asunder.
77-The Emissaries, 9
16- When the heaven will crack and split asunder. That day it will be flimsy.
69-Incontestable, 16
I believe that these verses may be understood in two different ways. If we take heaven for the entire universe, one may think of the decay at the outer extremities of the universe in continuous expansion. (By this the decay in the vacuum structure of the universe may have been meant. However, I am not going to dwell on this long issue.) According to a second alternative, if we take heaven for the atmosphere of our earth, big earthquakes, activities on the surface of the earth will likely affect the atmosphere, which will be split asunder and the protective layer of the atmosphere will be peeled off. As a matter of fact, the atmosphere depends on the fine balance between the earth’s gravitational force and the movement of molecules in the atmosphere. Any alteration in this balance will likely affect the atmosphere. Either of these two alternatives, or both, for that matter, may have been meant by the verses.
SUDDEN ARRIVAL
187- They ask you about the Hour and when it will come to pass. Say, “The knowledge thereof is with my Lord. Only He reveals its time. Heavy it is, in the heavens and the earth. It will come to you suddenly.” They ask you as if you are well-informed of it. Say, “The knowledge thereof is with God. But most people do not know.”
7-The Purgatory, 187
The Quran says that the process of the end of the world and the universe will begin all of a sudden, at a time which even the Prophet does not know. According to the theory of relativity, the fastest motion in the universe belongs to light, the speed of which is not surpassed by anything. The data we obtain from light-emitting objects and the reflection of light are the limits of our understanding of the phenomena taking place in the universe. If information about the time the Hour will take place is to be transmitted at the speed of light, we can never be informed of it before some time has elapsed. For instance, if the sun explodes this very moment and the beginning of the end has come, we will be aware of it only after the lapse of eight and a half minutes.
The same holds true for other phenomena that will likely occur, causing the destruction of the universe. If the process in question has started at some point in the universe, we cannot be aware of it for some time. A series of phenomena will occur before we are conscious of it, up until the time we are suddenly caught by it.
1- When the inevitable comes to pass.
2- There can be no denying of its befalling.
3- It will lower some, and raise others.
4- When the earth will be shaken up.
56-The Inevitable, 1-4
The end of the universe and of the world is the most serious event next to its formation. Riches, reputations, situations, families, beauty, ugliness, joy, distress will be no more; the entire universe will be transformed into a small unit. Superiority will no longer be measured by
riches, possessions and high offices. Now, “superiority” will depend on the sort of life man has led. From the scenery of the end of the universe and the world described in the Quran, there are lessons to draw in this life of ours. All these are not for the mere sake of knowing. What is communicated has as its objective to move people and guide them to God. We must bear in mind the third verse of the 56th sura:
3- It will lower some, and raise others.
56-The Inevitable, 3
LIKE LOCUSTS
7- They will come out of the graves with downcast eyes like an expanding swarm of locusts.
54-The Moon, 7
In the verse above, unbelievers are reminded that they will be resurrected and that it will be a difficult day for them. Imagine, billions of men rising from the dead, coming out of their graves! Confusion, perplexity, fear, remorse... Everybody on his own... The only help is from God. The day when high offices, families, riches and possessions have no value- the day of no return...
The resurrected are likened to locusts; why particularly locusts? Recent research benefiting from micro cameras conducted by a systematic observation of insects have given us an idea about the reason for the selection of locusts as an example. To begin with, swarms of locusts, billions of them together, give the impression of a vast rain cloud without end, a black mass stretching far and wide many kilometers! Locusts bury their eggs in the earth and their larvae spend some time under the ground before they eventually emerge to the surface.
Take for instance the locusts, part of the fauna of New England, USA; in the month of May of the year in which they attain their 17th year, these insects emerge from under the ground where they have been living for years and years. Suppose, you tell a man: “We’ll shut you up in a dark cell without a wristwatch and you’ll have no contact whatsoever with the outside world and you’ll be released at the end of the 17th day.” it is very doubtful that he will be able to know exactly the time when he will be let out. There is a similarity between the rebirth of locusts and man’s resurrection.
-After a long time
-Under the ground
-Altogether
-Densely crowded
-They rise to the surface of the earth
The parables and metaphors in the Quran are many. These figures of speech are to help us to understand better the meanings of the verses.
43- And such are the parables We set forth for the people, but only those understand them who have knowledge.
29-The Spider, 43
27- We have put forth for the people every kind of parable in this Quran that they may take heed.
39-The Throngs, 27
THE MIRACLES CONTAINED IN THE QURAN ARE EVIDENCE PROVING THE COMING OF THE HEREAFTER
A great deal of space is reserved for the description of life Hereafter in the Quran. Next to the existence of God, the most important message is that there is an afterlife and that man will receive recompense or retribution there. 1400 years ago, the Quran elaborated on physics, embryology, geology and zoology. There was no inaccuracy or misreckoning in any of the information supplied in it. Everything is perfectly expressed in the most unambiguous way.
The greatest claim of the Quran is the declaration of God’s existence and the fact that no partner should be attributed to Him. The Quran reflects the Omnipotence and Omniscience and Artistry of God: the One, the Eternal and the Absolute. The messages it contains enables masses of people to choose the right path, the path of the chosen. It has saved many people from perdition, idolatry and atheism while confirming the Scriptures and prophets that preceded it. In short, those who comprehend the importance of the question whether God exists or not, will also appreciate the importance of the Quran, since it provides a conclusive answer to that question:
1- The Quran’s most important message is God’s uniqueness and oneness. The Quran has guided millions of people in the right path.
2- The predictions it contains have no precedent. This very fact proves that its original source is God, and confirms that its messages are true.
All these miracles and the mission that the Quran has assumed prove that it is the word of God and that one should put his complete trust in it. The Quran’s greatest message, next to that of the existence of God, is the existence of the Hereafter. Every miracle evidencing the reliability of the Quran is also a proof of the existence of the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment.
RE-CREATION
The evidence of a life after death or a Hereafter are many. One of the main signs is man’s aspiration for immortality. God has provided water for the thirsty and food for the hungry. If He did not want to give, then He would not give the desire to want. It is again He who has created in man the aspiration for immortality. Since He has done so, His promise shall be fulfilled. God’s promise is sure to be gratified.
The most important and self-contained evidence of the existence of the Hereafter is God’s promise. Is it possible that God would disappoint the believers who trust God, dedicate themselves to God and seek the Hereafter in their actions, while justifying disbelievers who deny the Hereafter, who disregard His messages, who fabricate lies about Him and mock those who are in the right path? Lies are a proof of imperfection, while everything is perfect with God.
Both during the Prophet’s time and thereafter there have been doubts about the possibility of the end of the universe and of the Hereafter. The Quran is categorical and explicit about this.
77- Does not the human being see that We created him from a tiny drop? Then he turns into a profound enemy.
78 - And he makes comparisons for Us and forgets his own creation. He says, “Who can resurrect the bones after they are rotten?”
79- Say, “He who created them the first time. He has knowledge of every creation.”
36-Ya-Seen, 77-79
Creation of a life in the Hereafter is the easiest thing for God. To begin with, it is His promise. The very fact of creation should convince us that re-creation is not difficult for Him.
49- They said, “After we turn into bones and fragments, shall we be resurrected as a new creation?”
50- Say, “Even if you turn into rocks or iron.”
51- “Or any kind of creation that you deem impossible to resurrect.” They will then say, “Who will bring us back?” Say, “The one who created you in the first place.”
17-The Children of Israel, 49-51
The Hereafter is not a problem for God. In the first place, it has been promised by God. Moreover, we all have need of it. The Hereafter is repeatedly emphasized in the Quran. And it is clear that creation is a very simple act for God.
3- “What! When we die and become dust? This returning is most far-fetched.”
4- We know what the earth consumes of them; with Us is a protected record.
50-Qaf, 3-4
God has recorded even in a single DNA molecule all the information related to the human body. While the Quran gives us an impression of an afterlife through creation, it directs our attention to the process to which God had recourse in creating us. The cells in our body die and are immediately replaced by new ones. Today, the cells that constitute our body are not the same as those we were made of initially. The food we consume is continually transformed into a part of our system. The atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorous flow in our body and are consumed, to finally return to dust. What remains unchanged is the essence we call “self” or “soul.” Even when we are of this world God creates us every moment anew. Since He has promised to re-create us there is no doubt that He will.
33- Do they not realize that God, Who created the heavens and the earth and did not tire creating them, is able to revive the dead? Yes, verily He has power over all things.
46-The Dunes, 33
Creations in endless space, the greatness in the number of species and creatures make it evident that re-creation for God is as easy as the creation.
28- The creation and resurrection of all of you is the same as that of one person. God is Hearer, Seer.
31-Luqmaan, 28
LET’S GET READY TO DEPART
There are many subjects explicitly given in the Quran; however, the things that our five senses may fail to perceive are presented in metaphors (3- The Family of Imran, 7). In the description of paradise and hell, allegory is made to figures of speech (2- The Cow, 25). Blessings and rewards in the life Hereafter are described succinctly by metaphors. The exact rendering of the objects will take place when man is transferred there. Allegories made must not be taken fully literally. Bliss in heaven and remorse in hell are evident, although they will be understood in the Hereafter more clearly.
The scope of the account related to the Hereafter is far beyond what is said about paradise and hell. The description of a single province like the Bahamas would take a whole book thicker than the Quran itself. Had all the details of paradise and hell been given, they would have filled an encyclopedia of many volumes. Only the clues are given. The fact that only a few names of some fruits are mentioned does not mean that is all that paradise contains. The mere mention of the fact that everything that a human being may aspire to shall be there is enough. (21-The Prophets, 102; 42-Consultation, 22; 43- Vanity, 71; 50-Qaf, 35.)
In this brief earthly life of ours, the wisest act for us is to direct ourselves to God.
185- Every soul shall have to taste death, and you will get your recompense in full on the Day of The Resurrection. The one who is saved from the fire and admitted to paradise has attained a great triumph. The life of this world is no more than goods and chattels of deception.
3-The Family of Imran, 185
7- Those who disbelieved claim that they will not be resurrected! Yes indeed, by my Lord, you will be resurrected, and then informed of what you have done. And that is easy for God.
64-Mutual Blaming, 7
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