And you see the earth dead and barren. Then, when We send down water
onto it, it quivers and swells and sprouts with luxuriant plants of
every kind. (Surat al-Hajj:5)
The Arabic word for "quivers" is "ihtazzat," meaning "to set in
motion, come alive, quiver, move, stir; the movement and stretching of
a plant." The word "rabat," translated as "swells," bears the meanings
"to increase, grow in number, swell, grow, develop, rise (of a plant),
provision, fill with air." These words describe in the most
appropriate manner the changes that occur in the molecular structure
of soil during rain.
The motion described in the verse is different from the movement of
Earth's crust, such as when a portion of it moves to produce an
earthquake, for it is only the soil particles that are moving. These
particles are composed of layers, each of which is on top of the
other. When water penetrates the layers, it causes the swelling of mud
particles. The stages referred to in the verse can be scientifically
explained as follows:
1. Quivering of the soil: The electrostatic charge on the particle
surface that appears after the water falls on the soil in sufficient
amount would cause its instability and quivering movements. This
movement is stabilized only after this charge has been neutralized
with an opposing one. The soil particle's moving and quivering is also
due to its collision with water particles. Since the water particles
move in no specific direction, the soil particles move as they are
struck from all sides. Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist, discovered
in 1827 that when raindrops fall on the soil, they cause a kind of
shaking and vibration in the soil molecules. He described this
movement of microscopic particles, which today is known as the
"Brownian motion."
2. Swelling of the soil: When it rains, those raindrops hitting the
soil cause its particles to swell and increase in volume. This is
because when there is abundant water, the space between soil
particles, which allows water particles and dissolved ions to enter,
increases. When water and the nourishing elements dissolved in it
diffuse between the layers, the size of the soil particles increases.
Consequently, these particles serve as water deposits that bring the
soil to life. It is due to Allah's infinite grace upon humanity that
this water is stored in this manner without seeping downward due to
the action of gravity. If the soil could not hold water and these
mineral deposits could not be laid down in the soil, the water would
soak into Earth's deepest parts and, because of its resulting absence,
all plants would soon die. However, our Lord has created the soil in
such a way that various products can emerge from it.
3. Sprouting of the earth: When there is enough water in the soil, the
seeds become active and absorb simple nutritious material. Growing
plants meet their water requirements for 2 to 3 months from these
deposits.
The above verse describes, in three stages, what happens when rain
falls onto dry ground: the soil particles quiver, and the soil swells
and then brings forth various products. These stages, which the Qur'an
revealed 1,400 years ago, are strikingly parallel to the scientific
descriptions. Another verse reveals this about plants:
A sign for them is the dead land that We bring to life and from which
We bring forth grain, of which they eat. (Surah Ya Sin:33)
Wonders of Creation:
"THE FOUR ANIMALS EMPHASIZED IN THE QUR'AN" - I
THE MOSQUITO
While all living beings bear these signs, there are some to which
Allah specifically refers in the Qur'an. The mosquito is one of these
animals. In the 26th verse of Surat al-Baqara, the mosquito is
mentioned:
Allah is not ashamed to make the example of a mosquito or of an even
smaller thing. As for those who believe, they know it is the truth
from their Lord. But as for those who reject, they say, "What does
Allah mean by this example?" He misguides many by it and guides many
by it. But He only misguides the degenerate. (Surat al-Baqara: 26)
Considered as an ordinary living being, even the mosquito is worthy of
being examined and pondered since it bears the signs of Allah. This is
why "Allah is not ashamed to make the example of a mosquito or of an
even smaller thing".
The Extraordinary Adventure of the Mosquito
What is generally known about mosquitoes is that they are bloodsuckers
and feed on blood. This, however, is not quite correct, because not
all mosquitoes suck blood but only females. Besides, the females suck
blood not because of their need for food. Both male and female
mosquitoes feed on the nectar from flowers. The only reason female
mosquitoes, unlike the males, suck blood is their need for the
proteins found in blood which help their eggs to develop.
The developmental process is one of the most amazing and admirable
sides of the mosquito. The short story of the transformation of a
living being from a tiny larva through many different phases into a
mosquito is as follows:
Mosquito eggs, which are fed by blood to develop, are deposited on
damp leaves or dried ponds by the female mosquito during summer or
autumn. Prior to this, the mother initially inspects the ground
thoroughly by using the delicate receptors under her abdomen. Upon
finding a convenient place, she starts to deposit her eggs. The eggs,
which are less than 1 mm in length, are arranged in a row either in
groups or one by one. Some species deposit their eggs in a form, which
is joined together like a raft. Some of these egg groups contain about
300 eggs.
The neatly placed white eggs soon start to darken, and they turn
completely black in a couple of hours. This dark color provides
protection for the larvae by preventing them from being noticed by
other insects and birds. Apart from the eggs, the skin colors of some
other larvae also change according to their surroundings, and this
helps to protect them.
The larvae change colors by making use of certain factors after quite
complicated chemical processes. No doubt, neither the eggs, nor the
larvae, nor the mother mosquito is aware of the processes behind the
color changes during the mosquito's different developmental stages. It
is out of the question for these living beings themselves to make this
system or for this system to form by coincidence. Mosquitoes have been
created with these systems from the moment they first appeared.
Amazing Technique of Blood Sucking
The mosquito's technique of "blood-sucking" depends on a complex
system in which unbelievably detailed structures work together.
After the mosquito lands on its target, it first detects a spot by
means of the lips in its proboscis. The syringe-like "sting" of the
mosquito is protected by a special sheath, which is stripped back
during the blood-sucking process.
The mosquito does not pierce the skin, as assumed, by thrusting its
proboscis into it with pressure. Here, the main task falls to the
upper jaw, which is as sharp as a knife, and the mandible on which
there are teeth bent backwards. The mosquito moves its mandible
forwards and backwards like a saw and cuts the skin with the help of
the upper jaws. When the sting, inserted through this cut in the skin,
reaches to the blood vessel, the drilling ends. Now it is time for the
mosquito to suck blood.
However, as we know, the slightest harm to the vessels causes the
human body to secrete an enzyme that makes the blood clot and stops
its leakage. But the problem is eliminated for the mosquito. Before
the mosquito starts sucking blood, it injects a special liquid
secreted in its body into the cleavage opened in the living being it
has stung. This liquid neutralizes the enzyme that causes the clotting
of blood. Thus, the mosquito sucks the blood it needs without the
problem of clotting. The itching and swelling formed on the spot
bitten by the mosquito is caused by this liquid that prevents
clotting.
This is surely an extraordinary process and it brings the following
questions to mind:
1) How does the mosquito know that there is a clotting enzyme in the human body?
2) In order to produce a neutralizing secretion in its own body
against that enzyme, it needs to know the chemical structure of the
enzyme. How could this be possible?
3) Even if it somehow attained such knowledge (!), how could it
produce the secretion in its own body and make the "technical rigging"
needed to transfer it to its proboscis?
The answer to all these questions is obvious: it is not possible for
the mosquito to perform any of the above. It neither has the required
wisdom, knowledge of chemistry, or the "laboratory" environment to
produce the secretion. What we talk about here is only a mosquito of a
few millimeters in length, without consciousness or wisdom, that is
all!
It is quite clear that Allah, "Lord of the heavens and of the Earth,
and of all that is between them", has created both the mosquito and
man, and donated such extraordinary and marvelous features to the
mosquito.
Lives of the Prophets:
Prophet Abraham's (as) Religion - I
Who could have a better religion than someone who submits himself
completely to Allah, is a good-doer, and follows the religion of
Abraham, a man of pure natural belief?... (Surat an-Nisa':125)
People continue to argue over which religion Prophet Abraham (as)
followed. Jews regard him as a Jewish prophet and claim to follow his
path. Christians also consider him a Jewish prophet, but claim that he
followed Prophet Jesus (as), who came after him.
In the Qur'an, however, Allah reveals the truth of this matter by
providing certain information:
Or do they say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the
descendents were Jews or Christians? Say: "Do you know better, or does
Allah?" Who could do greater wrong than someone who hides the evidence
he has been given by Allah? Allah is not unaware of what you do.
(Surat al-Baqara: 140)
Moreover, other verses expose just how irrational this debate really is:
O People of the Book. Why do you argue about Abraham when the Torah
and Gospel were only sent down after him? Why don't you use your
intellect? You are the ones who argued about that of which you had
knowledge. But why do you argue about something of which you have no
knowledge? Allah knows; you do not know. (Surah Al 'Imran: 65-66)
The Qur'an provides the most accurate information about Prophet
Abraham (as), for it is the only uncorrupted book of Allah. If people
take other sources as guides, they fall into great error and interpret
matters in the light of their own ideas and beliefs. As in all
matters, however, believers take the Qur'an and the Sunnah of our
Prophet (saas) as the only true sources of information about the
prophets and their lines, for teaching falsehoods and engaging in
speculation and guesswork, particularly about the prophets, displeases
Allah.
Only the Qur'an states the whole truth about Prophet Abraham (as):
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but a man of pure natural
belief—Muslim. He was not one of the idolaters. (Surah Al 'Imran: 67)
The Qur'an calls Prophet Abraham (as) a hanif, instead of a Jew or a
Christian. Hanif means a devout, upright, and righteous person who
submits to Allah's command and never moves away from His religion. The
most hanif characteristics of Prophet Abraham (as) were his belief in
the One and Only Allah and his submission to Him.
In another verse, our Lord commands Prophet Muhammad (saas) to abide
by Prophet Abraham's (as) religion:
Then We revealed to you: "Follow the religion of Abraham, a man of
pure+natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters." (Surat an-Nahl:
123)
Allah wills people to turn to religion in a hanif manner, as pure
believers. Allah clearly emphasizes that hanif people do not ascribe
partners to Him:
So set your face firmly towards the Religion, as a pure natural
believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made humanity. There is
no changing in Allah's creation. That is the true religion—but most
people do not know it. (Surat ar-Rum: 30)
As can be understood from several verses, Prophet Abraham's (as)
religion was essentially the same as Islam. In any case, all divinely
revealed religions are, in their original and uncorrupted forms,
essentially built on earning Allah's good pleasure, compassion, and
Paradise. Prophet Abraham's (as) children and grandchildren, as well
as other devout individuals from his line, adhered to this religion
after his death. For example, the Qur'an emphasizes Prophet Joseph's
(as) address to his fellow prisoners:
I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We
don't associate anything with Allah. And that is how Allah has favored
us and all humanity, but most do not give thanks. (Surah Yusuf: 38)
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