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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.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
Kamis, Desember 18, 2008
ASCENDING TO THE SKY
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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.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
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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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
PETROLEUM
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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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
THE STARS AND THE SUN
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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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
LIKE LOCUSTS
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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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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
Copyright © 2001-2008 Quranic Research Group
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