1. There is a great secret in the difficulttests undergone by the Prophets

1.
Almighty Allah of course knows that all the prophets He created were
pure believers possessed of lofty moral values; it is He Who created
them with a true depth and pure faith. Yet despite being our Lord's
chosen, superior and honored servants, the prophets were still
subjected to difficult tests all through their lives. Difficulties are
a great means whereby people could witness theirhonesty and adopt
their moral values as role models, for the prophets to improve their
closenessto and love of Allah, and for their goodness to increase many
times over in the Hereafter.
This climate of testing is described by means of thestories related in
the Qur'an. When he came to the sea, pursued by Pharaoh's army, the
Prophet Moses (as) saw no apparent way of escape. Those who failed to
properly appreciate theinfinite might of Allah said, "We are trapped,"
but as revealed in verses the Prophet Moses (as) said "Never! My Lord
is with me and He will guide me." (Surat ash-Shuara', 62)
Throughout that difficult time when he was imprisoned in the belly of
the fish, the Prophet Jonah (as) constantly turned to Allah and, as
revealed in a verse, "...called out (to the Lord) in absolute
despair." (Surat al-Qalam,47) The Prophet Jonah (as), who sincerely
turned to Allah during this difficult test, was rescued from the belly
of the fish through our Lord's mercy and compassion, and was then sent
to a communityas their prophet. This difficult test of the Prophet
Jonah is described as follows in the Qur'an:
Jonah too was one of the Messengers.
When he ran away to the fully laden ship
and cast lots and lost.
Then the fish devoured him and he was to blame.
Had it not been that he was a man who glorified Allah,
he would have remained inside its bellyuntil the Day they are raised again.
So We cast him up onto the beach and he was sick;
and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him.
We sent him to a hundred thousand or even more.
They believed and so We gave them enjoyment for a time.
(Surat as-Saffat, 139-148)
When our holy Prophet (saas) was attacked by the pagans on two sides
together with his community there appeared to be no escape.This was
the day of a most difficult test. At the same time, it was a very
special test in which true believers with a genuine faith in Allah,
Who trustedin Allah's help with all their hearts, and who trusted in
and embraced Him, could remain strong and expect His help. As ordained
by Allah, those who were unable to properly appreciate Him and the
hypocrites lost hope of His mercy and began dreaming up false ideas of
their own. Our All-Mighty Lord described this difficult climate in
another verse:
When they came at you from above you and below you, when your eyes
rolled and your hearts rose to your throats, and you thought unworthy
thoughts about Allah, atthat point the believers were tested and
severely shaken.
When hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said, 'What
Allah and His Messengerpromised us was mere delusion.' and a group of
them said, 'People of Yathrib, Your position is untenable so return!'
some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them,saying, 'Our houses are
exposed,' when they were not exposed; it was merely that they wanted
to run away. (Surat al-Ahzab, 10-13)
In this difficult climate, our Prophet (saas) and the pure believers
with him hoped for Allah's helpand support and placed their trust in
Him, saw that this had been promised by our AlmightyLord and gave
thanks. Almighty Allah reveals in a verse:
When the believers saw the Confederates they said: 'This is what Allah
and His Messenger promised us. Allah and His Messenger told us the
truth.' It only increased them in faith and in submission. (Surat
al-Ahzab, 22)
As our Lord reveals in a later verse; "Allah made it unnecessary for
the believers to fight. Allah is Most Strong, Almighty." (Surat
al-Ahzab, 25)
The Prophet Yusuf (as) also underwent many great tests and hardships
in his life. The way he wasfalsely accused and left in a dungeon for
years are ofcourse very difficult tests. But there is no doubt thatone
of the greatest tests he faced, and bore bravelyand happily for
Allah's approval, is the way he was thrown into a well byhis brothers
at an early age and waited in the darkness to be rescued. If a caravan
had not passed by during his time in the well, if the people in it had
not decided to draw water from the well, then he would have gone
through a martyrdom lasting several days. Thereis no doubt that
everything happens by Allah's Will, however. Allah created Prophet
Yusuf (as) as a worthy, superior and holy prophetand also ordained his
salvation in the finest manner in destiny.
The Prophet Lot (as) alsostruggled against the pressure from a heretical people,
:->

The question Darwinism and materialism will never be able to answer: what is the origin of life?

(The following is an excerpt from the book titled Origins of Life*, by
Hugh Ross ** and Fazale Rana *** )
Currently scientists stand no closer to understanding life's beginning
than they did when Stanley Miller conducted his first experiments
fifty years ago. Though some scientists assert that the research is in
its infancy, significant resources have been brought to bear on the
origin of life question over the past five decades. To date, no real
answers have emerged. Rather, a misguided approach has essentially
stalled the research program.
Best-selling author Paul Davies makes this point inhis book The Fifth Miracle:
When I set out to write this book, I was convincedthat science was
close to wrapping up the mystery of life's origin… Having spent a year
or two researching in the field, I am now of the opinion that there
remains a hugegulf in our understanding… This gulf in understanding is
not merely ignorance about certain technical details; itis a major
conceptual lacuna. (Paul Davies, The Fifth Miracle:The Searchfor the
Origin and Meaning of Life (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999), pp.
17-18)
Davies' statements likely surprise most people, including scientists.
From popular media reports, one would think researchers have all but
finalized the explanation for life's beginning. But such is not the
case.
Davies explains why this mismatch persists between public perception
and stark reality:
Many investigators feel uneasy about stating in public that the origin
of life is a mystery, even though behind closed doors they freely
admit that they are baffled. There seems to be two reasons for their
unease. First, they feel it opens the door to religious …..
explanations. Second, they worry that a frank admission of ignorance
will undermine funding. (Davies, pp.17-18)
So scientists are keeping quiet and searching for new directions in
which to proceed. Their behind-the-scenes frustration became evident
(to these authors) at the combined meetings of the International
Society for the Study of the Origin of Life and the International
Conference on the Origin of Life, held both in 1999 at the University
of California, San Diego, and in 2002 in Oaxaca, Mexico (hereafter
referred to as ISSOL 1999 or ISSOL 2002). This joint scientific
meeting, held every three years, attracts leading origin of life
investigators from around the world and serves as a platform for them
to share and discuss their latest findings.
The atmosphere at such gatherings typically crackles with anticipation
as participants gather to hear about new discoveries and
breakthroughs. However, at both of these last two ISSOL events, a grim
mood laced with desperation prevailed. Participants acknowledged that
some fifty years of well-funded investigation have led to one
barricade after another. The old intractable problems remain as new
ones cometo light. (Fazale R. Rana, "Origin-of-Life Predictions Face
Off: Evolution vs Biblical Creation," Facts for Faith 6 (Q2 2001),
pp.41-47)
…..Origin of life researchers cannot identify any location on
primordial Earth suitable for production of prebioticmolecules. Those
studyingthe problems cannot explain how the uniform "handedness"
(homochirality) of amino acids, nucleotids, and sugars could emerge in
any so-called prebiotic soup.
Data from the geological, geochemical, and fossil records all place
impossible constraints on naturalistic scenarios. Life arose rapidly
and early in Earth's history - as soon asEarth could possible support
it. Origin of life researchers recognize thatlife had no more than
tens of millions of years to emerge. Life also appeared under
amazingly harsh conditions - conditions that would not allow life to
survive, let alone originate.
Earth's first life was complex chemically… Consistent with this.
Investigators have discovered that life in its most minimal form
requires an astonishing number of proteins that must be spatially and
temporally organized within the cell.
Many [under the leadership of militant atheist Richard Dawkins
converted to the Space Religion ] now speculate that life may have
originated somewhere other than on Earth.

Hazrat Maryam (mari)

Hazrat Maryam `s (Alayhas-Salam) respectable parents are Hazrat Emraan
and Hazrat Hannah. In her old age, Hazrat Hannah (Alayhas-Salam) was
expecting a child. With the birth of a son in mind, she made an oath
to Allah that the childto be born would be freed from all worldly
affairs and specially dedicated to Allah's service. Almighty Allah
blessed her with a daughter, who was to be the mother of Hazrat Isa
(Peace Be Upon Him), Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam), the chosen one
among the women.
The Holy Quraan says:
Behold! When the wife of Imraan said: " O my Lord! Ido dedicate unto
Thee what is in my womb for Thy service. So accept this of me; for
thou Hearest and Knowest all things. " When she delivered, she said: "
O my Lord! Behold! Iam delivered of a female child ! " (Surah
Ale-Emraan:35-36)
Hazrat Maryam's (Alayhas-Salam) Childhood
Thus Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam) was born. She could not be devoted
to temple service as her mother had intended, due to being a female.
This was under the Mosaic Law at the time. However, as the new born
was marked out for a special destiny tobe the mother of the
miracle-child Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon Him, she was accepted for the
service of Almighty Allah.
Hazrat Maryam's (Alayhas-Salam) Miracle
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam) grew up under Allah's special
protection. Her sustenance came from Allah, and her upbringing was
indeed a pure one.
The Holy Quraan, most beautifully testifies this childhood miracle of
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam):
" Right graciously did her Lord accept her, He made her grow in purity
and beauty, to the care of Zakariyya (Alayhis-Salaam)was she assigned,
every time he (Zakariyya) entered (her) chamber to see her, he found
her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! Whence (comes) this
to you? " She said: " From Allah. For Allah provides sustenance to
whom He pleases without measure. " (Surah Ale-Emraan:37)
Hazrat Zakariyya Peace Be Upon Him looked after Hazrat Maryam
(Alayhas-Salam) whilst she was in the service of Allah.
Birth of Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon Him
So Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam) grew up in a very pious religious
environment, always remaining busy in the worship of her Creator
Almighty Allah. Then followed the miraculous birth of Hazrat Isa Peace
Be Upon Him.
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam), the mother of Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon
Him was unique, in that she gave birth to a son by a special miracle,
without the intervention of the customary physical means.This of
course does not mean that she was more than human, any more than her
son was more than inhuman. She had as much need to pray to Almighty
Allah as anyone else.
May Almighty Allah give usall the true and proper understanding of
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam).

Prophet Ibrahim (2)

As you may recall, most of the people at the time of Ibrahim (alayhis
salam) were idol worshippers. There were very few people who heeded
the words of Ibrahim (alayhis salam). One of the people who did follow
in the way of Allah was his wife, Sarah. She and Ibrahim (alayhis
salam) had been married for many years but did not have any children.
As they became more elderly, it seemed apparent that they would never
have a family. Sarah therefore gave Ibrahim (alayhis salam) her
slavewoman, Hajra, as a wife, in the hopes that she would be able to
bear a child for him. Ibrahim (alayhis salam) prayed for a righteous
son and his prayer was answered. To him and Hajra was born the son
Ismail (alayhis salam).
Ismail (alayhis salam) grew up strong in the belief of Allah. When he
had become old enough tohave become helpful, Ibrahim (alayhis salam)
saw in a vision from Allah that he was to sacrifice his son. You can
imagine how heavy-hearted he was at the thought of giving up that
long-awaited son. Buthe never thought to go against the command of
Allah. He went to his son and told him of the vision and asked him
what he thought of it. Now Ismail (alayhis salam), although very
young, never hesitated. If it was Allah's will, he said, he would go
along with it.
Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Ismail (alayhis salam) prepared for the
sacrifice and just as Ibrahim (alayhis salam) was about to perform it,
Allah intervened. Allah provided a ram for sacrifice in place of
Ismail (alayhis salam), for Ibrahim (alayhis salam)and Ismail (alayhis
salam) had passed the test of faith which Allah had set for them.
Some time later, the angels who were being sent to Lut (alayhis salam)
stopped at Ibrahim's (alayhis salam) home. When he saw the two
strangers, he roasted a calfin order to entertain them.When he saw
that they didnot eat, he mistrusted and feared them. But they told him
not to be afraid. Sarahwas there and she laughedwhen they told her she
would have a son. She couldn't believe it. She wasan old woman and her
husband an old man. They told her not to wonder at Allah's decree, for
he can do all things.
Ibrahim (alayhis salam), too, couldn't believe his ears when they told
him that he would father another son endowed with wisdom. He asked
themessengers how they could say such a thing when he was such an old
man. But they assured himthat they were telling the truth.
Just as the angels had foretold, a son was born toSarah and Ibrahim
(alayhissalam). He was named Ishaaq (alayhis salam) and he later
became the father of Yaqub (alayhis salam). Itis from Ishaaq (alayhis
salam) that the children of Israel trace their roots.
It is from Ismail (alayhis salam), Ibrahim's (alayhis salam)
first-born son, that the people of Arabia trace their lineage. Thus
can twopeoples, the Jews and the Arabs, trace their beginnings back to
a single ancestor, Ibrahim (alayhis salam), the father of Ismail
(alayhis salam) and Ishaaq (alayhis salam).
You can read about Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and his sons in the
following surat of the Qur'an 11:69-76, 15:51-56,and 37: 99-111.