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Truly
it (the Qur'an) is revelation (The
Qur'an, 26:192) TO THE READER The
reason why a special chapter is assigned to the collapse of the
theory of evolution is that this theory constitutes the basis
of all anti-spiritual philosophies. Since Darwinism rejects the
fact of creation, and therefore the existence of Allah, during
the last 140 years it has caused many people to abandon their
faith or fall into doubt. Therefore, showing that this theory
is a deception is a very important duty, which is strongly related
to the religion. It is imperative that this important service
be rendered to everyone. Some of our readers may find the chance
to read only one of our books. Therefore, we think it appropriate
to spare a chapter for a summary of this subject. In
all the books by the author, faith-related issues are explained
in the light of the Qur'anic verses and people are invited to
learn Allah's words and to live by them. All the subjects that
concern Allah's verses are explained in such a way as to leave
no room for doubt or question marks in the reader's mind. The
sincere, plain and fluent style employed ensures that everyone
of every age and from every social group can easily understand
the books. This effective and lucid narrative makes it possible
to read them in a single sitting. Even those who rigorously reject
spirituality are influenced by the facts recounted in these books
and cannot refute the truthfulness of their contents. This
book and all the other works of the author can be read individually
or discussed in a group at a time of conversation. Those readers
who are willing to profit from the books will find discussion
very useful in the sense that they will be able to relate their
own reflections and experiences to one another. In
addition, it will be a great service to the religion to contribute
to the presentation and reading of these books, which are written
solely for the good pleasure of Allah. All the books of the author
are extremely convincing. For this reason, for those who want
to communicate the religion to other people, one of the most effective
methods is to encourage them to read these books. It
is hoped that the reader will take time to look through the review
of other books on the final pages of the book, and appreciate
the rich source of material on faith-related issues, which are
very useful and a pleasure to read. In
these books, you will not find, as in some other books, the personal
views of the author, explanations based on dubious sources, styles
that are unobservant of the respect and reverence due to sacred
subjects, nor hopeless, doubt-creating, and pessimistic accounts
that create deviations in the heart. The
Arabic word for God is Allah, and Muslims prefer to call Allah
by this name. However, since this book is aimed at Muslims and
non-Muslims alike, we have used the word God throughout. ABOUT
THE AUTHOR The
author, who writes under the pen-name HARUN YAHYA, was born in
Ankara in 1956. Having completed his primary and secondary education
in Ankara, he then studied arts at Istanbul's Mimar Sinan University
and philosophy at Istanbul University. Since the 1980s, the author
has published many books on political, faith-related and scientific
issues. Harun Yahya is well-known as an author who has written
very important works disclosing the imposture of evolutionists,
the invalidity of their claims and the dark liaisons between Darwinism
and bloody ideologies. His
pen-name is made up of the names "Harun" (Aaron) and
"Yahya" (John), in memory of the two esteemed prophets
who fought against lack of faith. The Prophet's seal on the cover
of the author's books has a symbolic meaning linked to the their
contents. This seal represents the Qur'an as the last Book by
God and the last word of Him and our Prophet, the last of all
the prophets. Under the guidance of the Qur'an and Sunnah, the
author makes it his main goal to disprove each one of the fundamental
tenets of godless ideologies and to have the "last word",
so as to completely silence the objections raised against religion.
The seal of the Prophet, who attained ultimate wisdom and moral
perfection, is used as a sign of his intention of saying this
last word. All
these works by the author centre around one goal: to convey the
message of the Qur'an to people, thus encouraging them to think
about basic faith-related issues, such as the existence of God,
His unity and the hereafter, and to display the decrepit foundations
and perverted works of godless systems. Harun
Yahya enjoys a wide readership in many countries, from India to
America, England to Indonesia, Poland to Bosnia, and Spain to
Brazil. Some of his books are available in English, French, German,
Italian, Portuguese, Urdu, Arabic, Albanian, Russian, Serbo-Croat
(Bosnian), Uygur Turkish, and Indonesian, and they have been enjoyed
by readers all over the world. Greatly
appreciated all around the world, these works have been instrumental
in many people putting their faith in God and in many others gaining
a deeper insight into their faith. The wisdom, and the sincere
and easy-to-understand style employed give these books a distinct
touch which directly strikes any one who reads or examines them.
Immune to objections, these works are characterised by their features
of rapid effectiveness, definite results and irrefutability. It
is unlikely that those who read these books and give a serious
thought to them can any longer sincerely advocate the materialistic
philosophy, atheism and any other perverted ideology or philosophy.
Even if they continue to advocate, this will be only a sentimental
insistence since these books have refuted these ideologies from
their very basis. All contemporary movements of denial are ideologically
defeated today, thanks to the collection of books written by Harun
Yahya. There
is no doubt that these features result from the wisdom and lucidity
of the Qur'an. The author certainly does not feel proud of himself;
he merely intends to serve as a means in one's search for God's
right path. Furthermore, no material gain is sought in the publication
of these works. Considering
these facts, those who encourage people to read these books, which
open the "eyes" of the heart and guide them in becoming
more devoted servants of God, render an invaluable service. Meanwhile,
it would just be a waste of time and energy to propagate books
which create confusion in peoples' minds, lead man into ideological
chaos, and which, clearly have no strong and precise effects in
removing the doubts in peoples' hearts, as also verified from
previous experience. It is apparent that it is impossible for
books devised to emphasize the author's literary power rather
than the noble goal of saving people from loss of faith, to have
such a great effect. Those who doubt this can readily see that
the sole aim of Harun Yahya's books is to overcome disbelief and
to disseminate the moral values of the Qur'an. The success, impact
and sincerity this service has attained are manifest in the reader's
conviction. One
point needs to be kept in mind: The main reason for the continuing
cruelty and conflict, and all the ordeals Muslims undergo is the
ideological prevalence of disbelief. These things can only come
to an end with the ideological defeat of disbelief and by ensuring
that everybody knows about the wonders of creation and Qur'anic
morality, so that people can live by it. Considering the state
of the world today, which forces people into the downward spiral
of violence, corruption and conflict, it is clear that this service
has to be provided more speedily and effectively. Otherwise, it
may be too late. It
is no exaggeration to say that the collection of books by Harun
Yahya have assumed this leading role. By the Will of God, these
books will be the means through which people in the 21st century
will attain the peace and bliss, justice and happiness promised
in the Qur'an. The
works of the author include The New Masonic Order, Judaism and
Freemasonry, The Disasters Darwinism Brought to Humanity, Communism
in Ambush, The Bloody Ideology of Darwinism: Fascism, The 'Secret
Hand' in Bosnia, Behind the Scenes of The Holocaust, Behind the
Scenes of Terrorism, Israel's Kurdish Card, Solution: The Morals
of the Qur'an, Articles 1-2-3, A Weapon of Satan: Romantism, Truths
1-2, The Western World Turns to God, The Evolution Deceit, Precise
Answers to Evolutionists, Evolutionary Falsehoods, Perished Nations,
For Men of Understanding, The Prophet Moses, The Prophet Joseph,
The Golden Age, Allah's Artistry in Colour, Glory is Everywhere,
The Truth of the Life of This World, Knowing the Truth, Eternity
Has Already Begun, Timelessness and the Reality of Fate, The Dark
Magic of Darwinism, The Religion of Darwinism, The Collapse of
the Theory of Evolution in 20 Questions, Allah is Known Through
Reason, The Qur'an Leads the Way to Science, The Real Origin of
Life, Consciousness in the Cell, A String of Miracles, The Creation
of the Universe, Miracles of the Qur'an, The Design in Nature,
Self-Sacrifice and Intelligent Behaviour Models in Animals, The
End of Darwinism, Deep Thinking, Never Plead Ignorance, The Green
Miracle Photosynthesis, The Miracle in the Cell, The Miracle in
the Eye, The Miracle in the Spider, The Miracle in the Gnat, The
Miracle in the Ant, The Miracle of the Immune System, The Miracle
of Creation in Plants, The Miracle in the Atom, The Miracle in
the Honeybee, The Miracle of Seed, The Miracle of Hormone, The
Miracle of the Termite, The Miracle of the Human Being, The Miracle
of Man's Creation, The Miracle of Protein, The Secrets of DNA. The
author's children's books are: Children Darwin Was Lying!, The
World of Animals, The Splendour in the Skies, The World of Our
Little Friends: The Ants, Honeybees That Build Perfect Combs,
Skilful Dam Builders: Beavers. The
author's other works on Qur'anic topics include: The Basic Concepts
in the Qur'an, The Moral Values of the Qur'an, Quick Grasp of
Faith 1-2-3, Ever Thought About the Truth?, Crude Understanding
of Disbelief, Devoted to Allah, Abandoning the Society of Ignorance,
The Real Home of Believers: Paradise, Knowledge of the Qur'an,
Qur'an Index, Emigrating for the Cause of Allah, The Character
of the Hypocrite in the Qur'an, The Secrets of the Hypocrite,
The Names of Allah, Communicating the Message and Disputing in
the Qur'an, Answers from the Qur'an, Death Resurrection Hell,
The Struggle of the Messengers, The Avowed Enemy of Man: Satan,
The Greatest Slander: Idolatry, The Religion of the Ignorant,
The Arrogance of Satan, Prayer in the Qur'an, The Importance of
Conscience in the Qur'an, The Day of Resurrection, Never Forget,
Disregarded Judgements of the Qur'an, Human Characters in the
Society of Ignorance, The Importance of Patience in the Qur'an,
General Information from the Qur'an, The Mature Faith, Before
You Regret, Our Messengers Say, The Mercy of Believers, The Fear
of Allah, The Nightmare of Disbelief, Jesus Will Return, Beauties
Presented by the Qur'an for Life, A Bouquet of the Beauties of
Allah 1-2-3-4, The Iniquity Called "Mockery", The Mystery
of the Test, The True Wisdom According to the Qur'an, The Struggle
with the Religion of Irreligion, The School of Yusuf, The Alliance
of the Good, Slanders Spread Against Muslims Throughout History,
The Importance of Following the Good Word, Why Do You Deceive
Yourself?, Islam: The Religion of Ease, Enthusiasm and Excitement
in the Qur'an, Seeing Good in Everything, How do the Unwise Interpret
the Qur'an?, Some Secrets of the Qur'an, The Courage of Believers,
Being Hopeful in the Qur'an, Justice and Tolerance in the Qur'an,
Basic Tenets of Islam, Those Who do not Listen to the Qur'an. CONTENTS PART
ONE: THE SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN
INTRODUCTION
THE
COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE
THE
EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
THE
SPLITTING ASUNDER OF "THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH"
ORBITS
THE
ROUNDNESS OF THE EARTH
THE
PROTECTED ROOF
THE
RETURNING SKY
THE
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
THE
FUNCTION OF MOUNTAINS
THE
MOVEMENT OF MOUNTAINS THE
MIRACLE IN THE IRON
THE
PAIRS IN CREATION
THE
RELATIVITY OF TIME
THE
PROPORTION OF RAIN
THE
FORMATION OF RAIN
THE
FECUNDATING WINDS
THE
SEAS' NOT MINGLING WITH ONE ANOTHER
DARKNESS
IN THE SEAS, AND INTERNAL WAVES
THE
REGION THAT CONTROLS OUR MOVEMENTS
THE
BIRTH OF A HUMAN BEING
MOTHER'S
MILK
THE
IDENTITY IN THE FINGERPRINT
PART
TWO: THE INFORMATION GIVEN ABOUT THE FUTURE IN THE QUR'AN
INTRODUCTION
The
Victory of Byzantium
PART
THREE: THE HISTORICAL MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN
THE
WORD "HAMAN" IN THE QUR'AN
TITLES
OF EGYPTIAN RULERS IN THE QUR'AN
CONCLUSION:
THE QUR'AN IS THE WORD OF GOD
PART
FOUR:THE EVOLUTION MISCONCEPTION
THE
SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN INTRODUCTION Fourteen
centuries ago, God sent down the Qur'an to mankind as a book of
guidance. He called upon people to be guided to the truth by adhering
to this book. From the day of its revelation to the day of judgement,
this last divine book will remain the sole guide for humanity. The
matchless style of the Qur'an and the superior wisdom in it are
definite evidence that it is the word of God. In addition, the
Qur'an has many miraculous attributes proving that it is a revelation
from God. One of these attributes is the fact that a number of
scientific truths that we have only been able to uncover by the
technology of the 20th century were stated in the Qur'an 1,400
years ago. Of
course the Qur'an is not a book of science. However, many scientific
facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound
manner in its verses have only been discovered with the technology
of the 20th century. These facts could not have been known at
the time of the Qur'an's revelation, and this is still more proof
that the Qur'an is the word of God. In
order to understand the scientific miracle of the Qur'an, we must
first take a look at the level of science at the time when this
holy book was revealed. In
the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed, Arab society had
many superstitious and groundless beliefs where scientific issues
were concerned. Lacking the technology to examine the universe
and nature, these early Arabs believed in legends inherited from
past generations. They supposed, for example, that mountains supported
the sky above. They believed that the earth was flat and that
there were high mountains at its both ends. It was thought that
these mountains were pillars that kept the vault of heaven high
above. However
all these superstitious beliefs of Arab society were eliminated
with the Qur'an. In Sura Sad, verse 2, it was said: "God
is He who raised up the heavens without any support..." (The
Qur'an, 38:2). This verse invalidated the belief that the sky
remains above because of the mountains. In many other subjects,
important facts were revealed at a time when no one could have
known them. The Qur'an, which was revealed at a time when people
knew very little about astronomy, physics, or biology, contains
key facts on a variety of subjects such as the creation of the
universe, the creation of the human being, the structure of the
atmosphere, and the delicate balances that make life on earth
possible. Now,
let us look at some of these scientific miracles revealed in the
Qur'an together. THE
COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE The
origin of the universe is described in the Qur'an in the following
verse: He
is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. (The
Qur'an, 6:101) This
information given in the Qur'an is in full agreement with the
findings of contemporary science. The conclusion that astrophysics
has reached today is that the entire universe, together with the
dimensions of matter and time, came into existence as a result
of a great explosion that occurred in no time. This event, known
as "The Big Bang" proved that the universe was created
from nothingness as the result of the explosion of a single point.
Modern scientific circles are in agreement that the Big Bang is
the only rational and provable explanation of the beginning of
the universe and of how the universe came into being. Before
the Big Bang, there was no such thing as matter. From a condition
of non-existence in which neither matter, nor energy, nor
even time existed, and which can only be described metaphysically,
matter, energy, and time were all created. This fact, only recently
discovered by modern physics, was announced to us in the Qur'an
1,400 years ago. THE
EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
In
the Qur'an, which was revealed 14 centuries ago at a time when
the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of
the universe was described like this: And
it is We who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily,
it is We who are steadily expanding it. (The
Qur'an, 51:47) The
word "heaven", as stated in this verse, is used in various
places in the Qur'an with the meaning of space and universe. Here
again, the word is used with this meaning. In other words, in
the Qur'an it is revealed that the universe "expands".
And this is the very conclusion that science has reached today. Until
the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the
world of science was that "the universe has a constant nature
and it has existed since infinite time". The research, observations,
and calculations carried out by means of modern technology, however,
have revealed that the universe in fact had a beginning, and that
it constantly "expands". At
the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander
Friedmann and the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically
calculated that the universe is in constant motion and that
it is expanding. This
fact was proved also by observational data in 1929. While observing
the sky with a telescope, Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer,
discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving
away from each other. A universe where everything constantly moves
away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe.
The observations carried out in the following years verified
that the universe is constantly expanding. This fact was explained
in the Qur'an when that was still unknown to anyone. This is because
the Qur'an is the word of God, the Creator, and the Ruler of the
entire universe. THE
SPLITTING ASUNDER OF "THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH" Another
verse about the creation of the heavens is as follows: Do
not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined
together (as one unit of creation), before We clove them asunder,
and We made from water every living thing. Will they not then
believe? (The
Qur'an, 21:30) The
word ratq translated as "sewn to" means
"mixed in each, blended" in Arabic dictionaries. It
is used to refer to two different substances that make up a whole.
The phrase "we unstitched" is the verb fataqa
in Arabic and implies that something comes into being by tearing
apart or destroying the structure of ratq. The sprouting
of a seed from the soil is one of the actions to which this verb
is applied. Let
us take a look at the verse again with this knowledge in mind.
In the verse, sky and earth are at first subject to the status
of ratq. They are separated (fataqa) with one coming
out of the other. Intriguingly, when we remember the first moments
of the Big Bang, we see that a single point included all the matter
in the universe. In other words, everything, including "the
heavens and earth" which were not created yet, were included
in this point in a condition of ratq. This point exploded
violently, causing its matter to fataqa and in the process
created the structure of the whole universe. When
we compare the expressions in the verse with scientific findings,
we see that they are in perfect agreement with each other. Interestingly
enough, these findings were not arrived at until the 20th century. ORBITS
While
referring to the Sun and the Moon in the Qur'an, it is emphasized
that each moves in a definite orbit. It
is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon.
They swim along, each in an orbit. (The
Qur'an, 21:33) It
is mentioned in another verse, too, that the Sun is not static
but moves in a definite orbit: And
the sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty,
the All-Knowing. (The
Qur'an, 37:38) These
facts communicated in the Qur'an have been discovered by astronomical
observations in our age. According to the calculations of experts
on astronomy, the Sun is traveling at the enormous speed of 720,000
kilometers an hour in the direction of the star Vega in a particular
orbit called the Solar Apex. This means that the sun travels roughly
17,280,000 kilometers a day. Along with the Sun, and all planets
and satellites within the gravitational system of the Sun also
travel the same distance. In addition, all the stars in the universe
are in a similar planned motion. That
the entire universe is full of paths and orbits such as this one,
is written in the Qur'an as follows: By
the sky full of paths and orbits. (The
Qur'an, 51:7) There
are about 200 billion galaxies in the universe, consisting of
nearly 200 billion stars in each. Most of these stars have planets,
and most of those planets have satellites. All of these heavenly
bodies move in very precisely computed orbits. For millions of
years, each has been "swimming" along in its own orbit
in perfect harmony and order with all the others. Moreover, many
comets also move along in the orbits determined for them. The
orbits in the universe do not only belong to celestial bodies.
The galaxies also travel at enormous speeds in computed, planned
orbits. During these movements, none of these celestial bodies
cuts across another's path, or collides with another. Surely
at the time the Qur'an was revealed, mankind did not possess today's
telescopes or advanced observation technologies to observe millions
of kilometres of space, nor the modern knowledge of physics or
astronomy. Therefore, at that time, it was not possible to determine
scientifically that space is "full of paths and orbits"
as stated in the verse. However, this was openly declared to us
in the Qur'an that was revealed at that time:–because the Qur'an
is the word of God. THE
ROUNDNESS OF THE EARTH
He
has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the
night up in the day, and wraps the day up in the night. (The
Qur'an, 39:5) In
the Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite
remarkable. The Arabic word that is translated as "to wrap"
in the above verse is "takwir". In English, it means
"to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment
that is laid away". (For instance, in Arabic dictionaries
this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing around
another, in the way that a turban is put on.) The
information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping
each other up includes accurate information about the shape of
the world. This can be true only if the earth is round. This means
that in the Qur'an, which was revealed in the 7th century, the
roundness of the world was hinted at. It
should be remembered, however, that the understanding of astronomy
of the time perceived the world differently. It was then thought
that the world was a flat plane and all scientific calculations
and explanations were based on this belief. The verses of the
Qur'an, however, include information that we have learned only
in the past century. Since the Qur'an is God's word, the most
correct words were used in it when it comes to describing the
universe. THE
PROTECTED ROOF
In
the Qur'an, God calls our attention to a very interesting attribute
of the sky: We
made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn
away from Our Signs.. (The
Qur'an, 21:32) This
attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried
out in the 20th century. The
atmosphere surrounding the earth serves crucial functions for
the continuity of life. While destroying many meteors big and
small as they approach the earth, it prevents them from falling
to earth and harming living things. In
addition, the atmosphere filters the light rays coming from space
that are harmful to living things. Interestingly, the atmosphere
lets only harmless and useful rays– visible light, near ultraviolet
light, and radio waves pass through. All of this radiation is
vital for life. Near ultraviolet rays, which are only partially
let in by the atmosphere, are very important for the photosynthesis
of plants and for the survival of all living beings. The majority
of the intense ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun are filtered
out by the ozone layer of the atmosphere and only a limited–and
essential–part of the ultraviolet spectrum reaches the Earth. The
protective function of the atmosphere does not end here. The atmosphere
also protects the earth from the freezing cold of the space, which
is about minus 270oC. It
is not only the atmosphere that protects the Earth from harmful
effects. In addition to the atmosphere, the Van Allen Belt, a
layer caused by the magnetic field of the Earth, also serves as
a shield against the harmful radiation that threatens our planet.
This radiation, which is constantly emitted by the Sun and other
stars, is deadly to living things. If the Van Allen belt did not
exist, the massive outbursts of energy called solar flares that
frequently occur in the Sun would destroy all life on Earth. Dr.
Hugh Ross has this to say on the importance of Van Allen Belts
to our lives: In
fact, the Earth has the highest density of any of the planets
in our Solar System. This large nickel-iron core is responsible
for our large magnetic field. This magnetic field produces the
Van-Allen radiation shield, which protects the Earth from radiation
bombardment. If this shield were not present, life would not be
possible on the Earth. The only other rocky planet to have any
magnetic field is Mercury - but its field strength is 100 times
less than the Earth's. Even Venus, our sister planet, has no magnetic
field. The Van-Allen radiation shield is a design unique to the
Earth.1 The
energy transmitted in just one of these bursts detected in recent
years was calculated to be equivalent to 100 billion atomic bombs
similar to the one dropped on Hiroshima. Fifty-eight hours after
the burst, it was observed that the magnetic needles of compasses
displayed unusual movement and 250 kilometers above the earth's
atmosphere, the temperature suddenly increased to 2,500o
C. In
short, a perfect system is at work high above the Earth. It surrounds
our world and protects it against external threats. Scientists
only learned about it recently, yet centuries ago, God informed
us in the Qur'an of the world's atmosphere functioning as a protective
shield. THE
RETURNING SKY
The
verse 11 of Sura Tarik in the Qur'an, refers to the "returning"
function of the sky. By
Heaven with its cyclical systems. (The
Qur'an, 86:11) This
word interpreted as "cyclical" in Qur'an translations
also has meanings of "sending back" or "returning". As
known, the atmosphere surrounding the Earth consists of many layers.
Each layer serves an important purpose for the benefit of life.
Research has revealed that these layers have the function of turning
the materials or rays they are exposed to back into space or back
down to the Earth. Now let us examine with a few examples of this
"recycling" function of the layers encircling the Earth. The
troposphere, 13 to 15 kilometers above the Earth, enables water
vapor rising from the surface of the Earth to be condensed and
turn back as rain. The
ozone layer, at an altitude of 25 kilometers, reflects harmful
radiation and ultraviolet light coming from space and turns
both back into space. The
ionosphere, reflects radio waves broadcast from the Earth
back down to different parts of the world, just like a
passive communications satellite, and thus makes wireless communication,
radio, and television broadcasting possible over long distances.
The
magnetosphere layer turns the harmful radioactive particles
emitted by the Sun and other stars back into space before
they reach the Earth. The
fact that this property of the atmosphere's layers, that was onlt
demonstrated in the recent past was announced centuries ago in
the Qur'an, once again demonstrates that the Qur'an is the word
of God. THE
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
One
fact about the universe revealed in the verses of the Qur'an is
that the sky is made up of seven layers. It
is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed
His attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular
heavens. He has knowledge of all things. (The
Qur'an, 2:29) Then
He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined
them as seven heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate.
(The
Qur'an, 41:12) The
word "heavens", which appears in many verses in the
Qur'an, is used to refer to the sky above the Earth, as well as
the entire universe. Given this meaning of the word, it is seen
that the Earth's sky, or the atmosphere, is made up of seven layers. Indeed,
today it is known that the world's atmosphere consists of different
layers that lie on top of each other. Furthermore, it consists,
just as is described in the Qur'an, of exactly seven layers. In
a scientific source, the subject is described as follows: Scientists
have found that the atmosphere consists of several layers. The
layers differ in such physical properties as pressure and the
types of gasses. The layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth
is called the TROPOSPHERE. It contains about 90% of the total
mass of the atmosphere. The layer above the troposphere is called
the STRATOSPHERE. The OZONE LAYER is the part of the stratosphere
where absorption of ultraviolet rays occurs. The layer above the
stratosphere is called the MESOSPHERE. The THERMOSPHERE lies above
the mesosphere. The ionized gases form a layer within the thermosphere
called the IONOSPHERE. The outermost part of Earth's atmosphere
extends from about 480 km out to 960 km. This part is called the
EXOSPHERE.2 If
we count the number of layers cited in this source, we see that
the atmosphere consists of exactly seven layers, just as stated
in the verse. 1.
Troposphere 2.
Stratosphere 3.
Ozonosphere 4.
Mesosphere 5.
Thermosphere 6.
Ionosphere 7.
Exosphere Another
important miracle on this subject is mentioned in the statement
"(He) revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate.",
in verse 12 of Sura Fussilet. In other words, in the verse, God
states that He assigned each heaven its own duty. Truly, as seen
in previous chapters, each one of these layers has vital duties
for the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the
Earth. Each layer has a particular function, ranging from forming
rain to preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves,
to averting the harmful effects of meteors. One
of these functions, for example, is stated in a scientific source
as follows: Earth's
atmosphere has 7 layers. The lowest layer is called troposphere.
Rain, snow and wind only take place in the troposphere.3 It
is a great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly
be discovered without the technology of the 20th century, were
explicitly stated by the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. THE
FUNCTION OF MOUNTAINS
The
Qur'an draws attention to a very important geological function
of mountains. We
placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not
move under them… (The
Qur'an, 21:31) As
we have noticed, it is stated in the verse that mountains have
the function of preventing shocks in the Earth. This
fact was not known by anyone at the time the Qur'an was revealed.
It was in fact brought to light only recently as a result of the
findings of modern geology. According
to these findings, mountains emerge as a result of the movements
and collisions of massive plates forming the Earth's crust. When
two plates collide, the stronger one slides under the other, the
one on the top bends and forms heights and mountains. The layer
beneath proceeds under the ground and makes a deep extension downward.
That means that mountains have a portion stretching downwards,
as large as their visible parts on the Earth. In
a scientific text, the structure of mountains is described as
follows: Where
continents are thicker, as in mountain ranges,
the crust sinks deeper into the mantle.4 In
a verse, this role of the mountains is pointed out by a comparison
with "pegs": Have
We not made the earth as a bed and the mountains its pegs? (The
Qur'an, 78:6-7) Mountains,
in other words, clench the plates in the Earth's crust together
by extending above and beneath the Earth's surface at the conjunction
points of these plates. In this way, they fix the Earth's crust,
and prevent it from drifting over the magma stratum or among its
plates. Briefly, we may liken mountains to nails that keep pieces
of wood together. This
fixing function of the mountains is described in scientific literature
by the term "isostasy". Isostasy means the following: Isostasy:
general equilibrium in the Earth's crust maintained by a yielding
flow of rock material beneath the surface under gravitational
stress.5 This
vital role of mountains, that was discovered by modern geology
and seismic research, was revealed in the Qur'an centuries ago
as an example of the supreme wisdom in God's creation. We
placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not
move under them... (The
Qur'an, 21:31) THE
MOVEMENT OF MOUNTAINS In
one verse, we are informed that mountains are not motionless as
they seem, but are in constant motion. You
will see the mountains you reckoned to be solid going past like
clouds. (The
Qur'an, 27:88) This
motion of the mountains is caused by the movement of the Earth's
crust that they are located on. The Earth's crust 'floats' over
the mantle layer, which is denser. It was at the beginning of
the 20th century when, for the first time in history, a German
scientist by the name of Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents
of the earth had been attached together when it first formed,
but then drifted in different directions, and thus separated as
they moved away from each other. Geologists
understood that that Wegener was right only in the 1980s, 50 years
after his death. As Wegener pointed out in an article published
in 1915, the land masses on the earth were joined together about
500 million years ago. As Wegener pointed out in a 1915 article,
the land masses of the earth were joined together some 500 million
years ago, and this large mass, called Pangaea, was located
in the South Pole. Approximately
180 million years ago, Pangaea divided into two parts,
which drifted in different directions. One of these giant continents
was Gondwana, which included Africa, Australia, Antarctica
and India. The second one was Laurasia, which included
Europe, North America and Asia, except for India. Over the next
150 million years following this separation, Gondwana and
Laurasia divided into smaller parts. These
continents that emerged after the split of Pangaea have
been constantly moving on the Earth's surface at several centimetres
per year, in the meantime changing the sea and land ratios of
the Earth. Discovered
as a result of the geological research carried out at the beginning
of the 20th century, this movement of the Earth's crust is explained
by scientists as follows: The
crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, with a thickness of
about 100 kms., are divided into segments called plates. There
are six major plates, and several small ones. According to the
theory called plate tectonics, these plates move about on Earth,
carrying continents and ocean floor with them. Continental motion
has been measured at from 1-5 cm per year. As the plates continue
to move about, this will produce a slow change in Earth's geography.
Each year, for instance, the Atlantic Ocean becomes slightly wider.6 There
is a very important point to be stated here: God has referred
to the motion of mountains as a drifting action in the verse.
Today, modern scientists also use the term "Continental
Drift" for this motion. 7 Unquestionably,
it is one of the miracles of the Qur'an that this scientific fact,
which has recently been discovered by science, was announced in
the Qur'an. THE
MIRACLE IN THE IRON
Iron
is one of the elements highlighted in the Qur'an. In Sura Hadid,
meaning Iron, we are informed: …And
We sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has
many uses for mankind.... (The
Qur'an, 57:25) The
word "sent down," particularly used for iron in the
verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain
that iron has been given to benefit people. But when we take into
consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being
physically sent down from the sky", we realize that this
verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. This
is because modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the
iron found in our world has come from the giant stars in outer
space. The
heavy metals in the universe are produced in the nuclei of big
stars. Our solar system, however, does not possess a suitable
structure for producing iron on its own. Iron can only be produced
in much bigger stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches
a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron exceeds
a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate
it, and eventually it explodes in what is called a "nova"
or a "supernova". As a result of this explosion, meteors
containing iron are scattered around the universe, and they move
through the void until attracted by the gravitational force of
a celestial body. All
this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried
from exploding stars in space via meteors, and was "sent
down to earth", in exactly the same way as stated in
the verse: It is clear that this fact could not have been scientifically
known in the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed. THE
PAIRS IN CREATION
Glory
be to Him Who created all the pairs: from what the earth produces
and from themselves and from things unknown to them. (The
Qur'an, 37:36) Although
the concept of ''pair'' or "couple" commonly stands
for male and female, the statement of ''from things unknown to
them'' has wider implications. Today, one of the implications
of the verse has been revealed. The British scientist Paul Dirac,
who proposed that matter is created in pairs, was awarded the
Nobel Prize for physics in 1933. This discovery, called ''parité'',
maintains that matter is paired with its opposite: anti-matter.
Anti-matter carries the opposite properties to matter. For instance,
as opposed to matter, the electron of anti-matter is positively
charged and its protons are negatively charged. This fact is stated
in a scientific source in this way: ...every
particle has its antiparticle of opposite charge… …and the uncertainty
relation tells us that pair creation and pair annihilation happen
in the vacuum at all times, in all places.8
THE
RELATIVITY OF TIME
Today,
the relativity of time is a proven scientific fact. This was revealed
by Einstein's theory of relativity at the early years of the 20th
century. Until then, people did not know that time was a relative
concept, and that it could change according to the environment.
Yet, the great scientist Albert Einstein openly proved this fact
with the theory of relativity. He showed that time is dependent
on mass and velocity. In the history of humanity, no one had expressed
this fact clearly before. With
one exception though; the Qur'an included information about time's
being relative! Some verses about the subject read: They
ask you to hasten the punishment. God will not break His promise.
A day with your Lord is equivalent to a thousand years in the
way you count. (The
Qur'an, 22:47) He
directs the whole affair from heaven to earth. Then it will again
ascend to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by the
way you measure. (The
Qur'an, 32:5) The
angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day whose length is fifty
thousand years. (The
Qur'an, 70:4) In
some verses, it is indicated that people perceive time differently
and that sometimes people can perceive a very short period of
time as a very lengthy one. The following conversation of people
held during their judgement in the Hereafter is a good example
of this: He
will say, 'How many years did you tarry on the earth?' They will
say, 'We tarried there for a day or part of a day. Ask those able
to count!' He will say, 'You only tarried there for a little while
if you did but know! (The
Qur'an, 23:12) The
fact that the relativity of time is so clearly mentioned in the
Qur'an, which started to be revealed in 610, is another evidence
that it is a holy book. THE
PROPORTION OF RAIN
One
of the items of information given in the Qur'an about rain is
that it is sent down to Earth in due measure. This is mentioned
in Sura Zukhruf as follows; It
is He who sends down water in due measure from the sky by which
We bring a dead land back to life. That is how you too will be
raised (from the dead). (The
Qur'an, 43:11) This
measured quantity in rain has again been discovered by modern
research. It is estimated that in one second, approximately 16
million tons of water evaporates from the Earth. This figure amounts
to 513 trillion tons of water in one year. This number is equal
to the amount of rain that falls on the Earth in a year. This
means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle,
in a "measure". Life on Earth depends on this water
cycle. Even if people used all the available technology in the
world, they would not be able to reproduce this cycle artificially. Even
a minor deviation in this equilibrium would very soon give rise
to a major ecological imbalance that would bring about the end
of life on Earth. Yet, this never happens, and rain keeps falling
every year in exactly the same quantity just as revealed in the
Qur'an. THE
FORMATION OF RAIN
How
rain forms remained a great mystery for a long time. Only after
weather radar was invented was it possible to discover the stages
by which rain is formed. According
to this, the formation of rain takes place in three stages. First,
the "raw material" of rain rises up into the air with
the wind. Later, clouds are formed, and finally raindrops appear.
The
Qur'an's account of the formation of rain refers exactly to this
process. In one verse, this formation is described in this way:
It
is God Who sends the winds which stir up clouds which He spreads
about the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps
and you see the rain come pouring out from the middle of them.
When He makes it fall on those of His slaves He wills, they rejoice.
(The
Qur'an, 30:48) Now,
let us examine these three stages outlined in the verse more technically.
FIRST
STAGE: " It is God Who sends the winds..." Countless
air bubbles formed by the foaming of the oceans continuously burst
and cause water particles to be ejected towards the sky. These
particles, which are rich in salt, are then carried away by winds
and rise upward in the atmosphere. These particles, which are
called aerosols, function as water traps, and form cloud drops
by collecting around the water vapour themselves, which rises
from the seas as tiny droplets. SECOND
STAGE: ".... which stir up clouds which He spreads about
the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps..." The
clouds are formed from water vapour that condenses around the
salt crystals or dust particles in the air. Because the water
droplets in these clouds are very small (with a diameter between
0.01 and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in the air, and spread
across the sky. Thus, the sky is covered in clouds. THIRD
STAGE: "…and you see the rain come pouring our from the middle
of them" The
water particles that surround salt crystals and dust particles
thicken and form raindrops, so, drops that become heavier than
the air leave the clouds and start to fall to the ground as rain.
As
we have seen, every stage in the formation of rain is related
in the verses of the Qur'an. Furthermore, these stages are explained
in exactly the right sequence. Just as with many other natural
phenomena on the Earth, God gives the most correct explanation
of this phenomenon as well, and made it known to people in the
Qur'an centuries before it was discovered. In
another verse, the following information is given about the formation
of rain: Have
you not seen how God drives along the clouds, then joins them
together, then makes them into a stack, and then you see the rain
come out of it? And He sends down from the sky mountain masses
(of clouds) with cold hail in them, striking with it anyone He
wills and averting it from anyone He wills. The brightness of
His lightning almost blinds the sight. (The
Qur'an, 24:43) Scientists
studying cloud types came across surprising results regarding
the formation of rain clouds. Rain clouds are formed and shaped
according to definite systems and stages. The formation stages
of cumulonimbus, one kind of rain cloud, are these: 1.STAGE,
Being driven along: Clouds
are carried along, that is, they are driven along, by the wind.
2.STAGE,
Joining:
Then, small clouds (cumulus clouds) driven along by the wind join
together, forming a larger cloud.9
3.STAGE,
Stacking:
When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger
cloud increase. The updrafts near the centre 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 and begin
to grow larger and larger. 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.10 We
must remember that meteorologists have only recently come to know
these details of cloud formation, structure and function, by using
advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers etc. It
is evident that God has given us a piece of information that could
not have been known 1,400 years ago. THE
FECUNDATING WINDS
In
one verse of the Qur'an, the "fecundating" characteristic
of the winds, and the formation of rain as a result are mentioned. And
We send the fecundating winds, then cause water to descend from
the sky, therewith providing you with water in abundance. (The
Qur'an, 15:22) In
this verse, it is pointed out that the first stage in the formation
of rain is wind. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the
only relationship between the wind and the rain that was known,
was that the wind drove the clouds. However, modern meteorological
findings have demonstrated the "fecundating" role of
the wind in the formation of rain. This
fecundating function of the wind works in the following way: On
the surface of oceans and seas, countless air bubbles form because
of the water's foaming action. The moment these bubbles burst,
thousands of tiny particles, with a diameter of just one hundredth
of a millimeter, are thrown up into the air. These particles,
known as "aerosols", mix with dust carried from the
land by the wind, and are carried to the upper layers of the atmosphere.
These particles carried to higher altitudes by winds come into
contact with water vapour up there. Water vapour condenses around
these particles and turns into water droplets. These water droplets
first come together and form clouds, and then fall to the Earth
in the form of rain. As
seen, winds "fecundate" the water vapour floating in
the air with the particles they carry from the sea, and eventually
help the formation of rain clouds. If
winds did not possess this property, water droplets in the upper
atmosphere would never form, and there would be no such thing
as rain. The
most important point here is that this critical role of the wind
in the formation of rain was stated centuries ago in a verse of
the Qur'an, at a time when people knew very little about natural
phenomena… THE
SEAS' NOT MINGLING WITH ONE ANOTHER
One
of the properties of seas that has only recently been discovered
is related in a verse of the Qur'an as follows: He
has let loose the two seas, converging together, with a barrier
between them they do not break through. (The
Qur'an, 55:19-20) |