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Welcome to Islam, - The amazing Quran - II

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Only has been divinely revealed
They chose, as it happened, a non-Muslim who is a professor of embryology at the University of Toronto. His name is Keith Moore, and he is the author of textbooks on embryology - a world expert on the subject. They invited him to Riyadh and said: “This is what the Quran says about your subject. Is it true? What can you tell us?” While he was in Riyadh, they gave him all of the help that he needed in translation and all of the cooperation for which he asked. And he was so surprised at what he found that he changed his textbooks. In fact, in the second edition of one of his books called "Before We Are Born...", about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in the Quran. Truly this illustrates that the Quran was ahead of its time and that those who believe in the Quran know what other people do not know.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Keith Moore for a television presentation, and we talked a great deal about this - it was illustrated by slides and so on. He mentioned that some of the things that the Quran states about the growth of the human being were not known until thirty years ago. In fact, he said that one item in particular - the Quran's description of the human being as a "leech-like clot" )'alaqah( at one stage - was new to him; but when he checked on it, he found that it was true, and so he added it to his book.
He said: "I never thought of that before," and he went to the zoology department and asked for a picture of a leech. When he found that it looked just like the human embryo, he decided to include both pictures in one of his textbooks. Dr. Moore also wrote a book on clinical embryology, and when he presented this information in Toronto, it caused quite a stir throughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Canada, and some of the headlines were quite funny. For instance, one headline read: "SURPRISING THING FOUND IN ANCIENT BOOK"! It seems obvious from this example that people do not clearly understand what it is all about. As a matter of fact, one newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore, "Don't you think that maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe there were not scientists, but maybe they did something crude dissections on their own - carved up people and examined these things."
The professor immediately pointed out to him that he ]i.e., the reporter[ had missed a very important point - all of the slides of the embryo that had been shown and had been projected in the film had come from pictures taken through a microscope. He said: "It does not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuries ago, they could not have seen it!" All of the descriptions in the Quran of the appearance of the embryo are of the item when it is still too small to see with the naked eye; therefore, one needs a microscope to see it. Since such a device had only been around for little more than two hundred years, Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centuries ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this research, making no mistakes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam and convinced him, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam to put this information in his, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret forever. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some proofs because it is such a ridiculous theory." In fact, when he was asked: "How do you explain this information in the Quran?" Dr. Moore's reply was: "It could only have been divinely revealed."
Although the aforementioned example of man researching information contained in the Quran deals with a non-Muslim, it is still valid because he is one of those who is knowledgeable in the subject being researched. Had some layman claimed that what the Quran says about embryology is true, then one would not necessarily have to accept his word. However, because of the high position, respect, and esteem man gives scholars, one naturally assumes that if they research a subject and arrive at a conclusion based on that research, then the conclusion is valid.
One of Professor Moore's colleagues, Marshall Johnson, deals extensively with geology at the University of Toronto. He became very interested in the fact that the Quran's statements about embryology are accurate, and so he asked Muslims to collect everything contained in the Quran which deals with his specialty. Again people were very surprised at the findings. Since there are a vast number of subjects discussed in the Quran, it would certainly require a large amount of time to exhaust each subject. It suffices for the purpose of this discussion to state that the Quran makes very clear and concise statements about various subjects while simultaneously advising the reader to verify the authenticity of these statements with research by scholars in those subjects.
As illustrated, the Quran has clearly emerged authentic. Undoubtedly, there is an attitude in the Quran which is not found anywhere else. It is interesting how when the Quran provides information, it often tells the reader: "You did not know this before." Indeed, there is no scripture that exists which makes that claim. All of the other ancient writings and scriptures that people have, do give a lot of information, but they always state where the information came from.
For example, when the Bible discusses ancient history, it states that this king lived here, this one fought in a certain battle, another one had so many sons, etc. Yet it always stipulates that if you want more information, then you should read the book of so and so because that is where the information came from. In contrast to this concept, the Quran provides the reader with information and states that this information is something new. Of course, there always exists the advice to research the information provided and verify its authenticity. It is interesting that such a concept was never challenged by non-Muslims fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, the Makkans who hated the Muslims, time and time again they heard such revelations claiming to bring new information; yet, they never spoke up and said: "This is not new. We know where Muhammad got this information. We learned this at school."
For instance, the telephone book is accurate, but that does not mean that it is divinely revealed. The real problem lies in that one must establish some proofs of the source the Quran's information. The emphasis is on the reader. One cannot simply deny the Quran's authenticity without sufficient proof. If, indeed, one finds a mistake, then he has the right to disqualify it. This is exactly what the Quran encourages. Once a man came up to me after a lecture I delivered in South Africa. He was very angry about what I had said, and so he claimed: "I am going to go home tonight and find a mistake in the Quran." Of course, I said: "Congratulations. That is the most intelligent thing that you have said." Certainly, this is the approach Muslims need to take with those who doubt the Quran's authenticity, because the Quran itself offers the same challenge.
An inevitably, after accepting its challenge and discovering that it is true, these people will come to believe it because they could not disqualify it. In essence, the Quran earns their respect because they themselves have had to verify its authenticity. An essential fact that cannot be reiterated enough concerning the authenticity of the Quran is that one's inability to explain a phenomenon himself does not require his acceptance of the phenomenon's existence or another person's explanation of it.
Specifically, just because one cannot explain something does not mean that one has to accept someone else's explanation. However, the person's refusal of other explanations reverts the burden of proof back on himself to find a feasible answer. This general theory applies to numerous concepts in life, but fits most wonderfully with the Quranic challenge, for it creates a difficulty for one who says: "I do not believe it." At the onset of refusal, one immediately has an obligation to find an explanation himself if he feels others' answers are inadequate. In fact, in one particular Quranic verse which I have always seen mistranslated into English, Allaah mentions a man who heard the truth explained to him. It states that he was derelict in his duty because after he heard the information, he left without checking the verity of what he had heard. In other words, one is guilty if he hears something and does not research it and check to see whether it is true.
One is supposed to process all information and decide what is garbage to be thrown out and what is worthwhile information to be kept and benefited from at a later date. One cannot just let it rattle around in his head. It must be put in the proper categories and approached from that point of view. For example, if the information is still speculatory, then one must discern whether it's closer to being true or false. But if all of the facts have been presented, then one must decide absolutely between these two options. And even if one is not positive about the authenticity of the information, he is still required to process all of the information and make the admission that he just does not know for sure.
Although this last point appears to be futile, in actuality, it is beneficial to the arrival at a positive conclusion at a later time in that it forces the person to at least recognize, research and review the facts. This familiarity with the information will give the person "the edge" when future discoveries are made and additional information is presented. The important thing is that one deals with the facts and does not simply discard them out of empathy and disinterest.

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Welcome to Islam, - The amazing Quran -I

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Calling the Quran amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the Book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing.
One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the Book very closely is that the Quran does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they assume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Arabian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what they expected at all. Additionally, one of the first things that some people assume is that because it is an old book which comes from the desert, it should talk about the desert. Well, the Quran does talk about the desert - some of its imagery describes the desert; but it also talks about the sea - what it's like to be in a storm on the sea.
Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Quran to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam but was interested in reading the Quran. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammad, was he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Quran describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No, as a matter of fact, Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Quran's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. Allaah Says )what means(:“Or ]they are[ like darkness within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds darkness…”]Quran 24:40[, this description was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Quran is not tied to a certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago.
Smaller than the atom:
Many centuries before the onset of Muhammad's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, Prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the people who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word "tharrah" commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter )i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element( can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century; yet, interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Quran, Allaah Says )what means(:" And not absent from your Lord is any ]part[ of an atom’s weight )488( within the earth or within the heaven or ]anything[ smaller than that…”]Quran, 10:61[. Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the "tharrah" was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is a proof that the Quran is not outdated.
In honey there is healing
Another example of what one might expect to find in an "old book" that touches upon the subject of health or medicine is outdated remedies or cures. Various historical sources state that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, gave some advice about health and hygiene, yet most of these pieces of advice are not contained in the Quran.
At first glance, to the non-Muslims this appears to be a negligent omission. They cannot understand why Allaah would not "include" such helpful information in the Quran. Some Muslims attempt to explain this absence with the following argument: "Although the Prophet's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, advice was sound and applicable to the time in which he lived, Allaah, in His infinite Wisdom, knew that there would come later medical and scientific advances which would make the Prophet's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, advice appear outdated. When later discoveries occurred, people might say that such information contradicted that which the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, had given. Thus, since Allaah would never allow any opportunity for the non-Muslims to claim that the Quran contradicts itself or the teachings of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, He only included in the Quran information and examples which could stand the test of time."
However, when one examines the true realities of the Quran in terms of its existence as a divine revelation, the entire matter is quickly brought into its proper perspective, and the error in such argumentation becomes clear and understandable. It must be understood that the Quran is a divine revelation, and as such, all information in it is of divine origin. Allaah revealed the Quran from Himself. It is the Speech of Allaah, nothing can be added, subtracted or altered.
There was no "home remedies" in the Quran which one could claim to be outdated; nor does it contain any man's view about what is beneficial to health, what food is best to eat, or what will cure this or that disease. In fact, the Quran only mentions one item dealing with medical treatment, and it is not in dispute by anyone. It states that in honey there is healing. And certainly, I do not think that there is anyone who will argue with that!
Not from Muhammads's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam mind
If one assumes that the Quran is the product of a man's mind, then one would expect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man who "composed" it. In fact, certain encyclopedias and various books claim that the Quran was the product of hallucinations that Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammad's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Quran. Is there such evidence? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what things would have been going on in his mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Quran.
It is common knowledge that Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife, may Allaah be pleased with her, of several years who was dear and important to him, who proceeded him in death at a very critical period of his life. As a matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam ran home to her afraid. Certainly, even today one would have a hard time trying to find an Arab who would tell you: "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way.
Yet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do that. That's how influential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammad's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, mind, they are sufficient in intensity to prove my point. The Quran does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companions and wife, may Allaah be pleased with them, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife - nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pain and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout.
Test of falsification
A truly scientific approach to the Quran is possible because the Quran offers something that is not offered by other religious scriptures, in particular, and other religions, in general. It is what scientists demand. Today there are many people who have ideas and theories about how the universe works. These people are all over the place, but the scientific community does not even bother to listen to them. This is because within the last century the scientific community has demanded a test of falsification. They say: "If you have theory, do not bother us with it unless you bring with that theory a way for us to prove whether you are wrong or not."
Such a test was exactly why the scientific community listened to Einstein towards the beginning of the century. He came with a new theory and said: "I believe the universe works like this; and here are three ways to prove whether I am wrong!" So the scientific community subjected his theory to the tests, and within six years it passed all three. Of course, this does not prove that he was great, but it proves that he deserved to be listened to because he said: "This is my idea; and if you want to try to prove me wrong, do this or try that." This is exactly what the Quran has - falsification tests. Some are old )in that they have already been proven true(, and some still exist today.
Basically it states: "If this book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Of course, in 1400 years no one has been able to do "This or this or this, "and thus it is still considered true and authentic. I suggest to you that the next time you get into dispute with someone about Islam and he claims that he has the truth and that you are in darkness, you leave all other arguments at first and make this suggestion. Ask him: "Is there any falsification test in your religion? Is there anything in your religion that would prove you are wrong if I could prove to you that it exists - anything?" Well, I can promise right now that people will not have anything - no test, no proof, nothing! This is because they do not carry around the idea that they should not only present what they believe but should also offer others a chance to prove they're wrong. However, Islam does that. A perfect example of how Islam provides man with a chance to verify its authenticity and "prove it is wrong" occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was surprised when I first discovered this challenge. Allaah Says )what means(:“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from ]any[ other than Allaah, they would have found within it much contradiction.”]Quran 4:82[
This is a clear challenge to the non-Muslim. Basically, it invites him to find a mistake. As a matter of fact, the seriousness and difficulty of the challenge aside, the actual presentation of such a challenge in the first place is not even in human nature and is inconsistent with man's personality. One doesn't take an exam in school and after finishing the exam, write a note to the instructor at the end saying: "This exam is perfect. There are no mistakes in it. Find one if you can!" One just doesn't do that. The teacher would not sleep until he found a mistake!
And yet this is the way the Quran approaches people. Another interesting attitude that exists in the Quran repeatedly deals with its advice to the reader. The Quran informs that reader about different facts and then gives the advice: "If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, then you should ask those who have knowledge." This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have a book that comes from someone without training in geography, botany, biology, etc., who discusses these subjects and then advises the reader to ask men of knowledge if he doubts anything.
Yet in every age there have been Muslims who have followed the advice of the Quran and made surprising discoveries. If one looks to the works of Muslim scientists many centuries ago, one will find them full of quotations from the Quran. These works state that they did research in such a place, looking for something. And they affirm that the reason they looked in such and such a place was that the Quran pointed them in that direction. For example, the Quran mentions man's origin and then tells the reader, "Research it!" It gives the reader a hint where to look and then states that one should find out more about it. This is the kind of thing that Muslims today largely seem to overlook - but not always, as illustrated in the following example. A few years ago, a group of men in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia collected all of the verses in the Quran which discuss embryology - the growth of the human being in the womb. They said: "Here is what the Quran says. Is it the truth?" In essence, they took the advice of the Quran, Allaah Says )what means(:“So ask the people of the message ]i.e. former scriptures[ if you do not know.”]Quran 16:43[

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Dought & clear, - Ruling on saying the Talbiyah together in unison

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Is it permissible for one person to recite the Talbiyah after entering ihraam and the people who are doing ‘Umrah to repeat it after him, or what?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Reciting the Talbiyah in unison, when the people doing ‘Umrah all start to recite the Talbiyah together and end it together in one voice is one of the mistakes that many people commit today. It is not known that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions recited the Talbiyah in unison. Rather each of them should recite the Talbiyah by himself, whether it coincides with the voices of other pilgrims who are reciting the Talbiyah or not.
See the answer to question no. 33746.
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwaa was asked: What is the ruling on pilgrims reciting the Talbiyah together, where one recites it and the others repeat after him?
They replied:
That is not permissible, because it was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his successors, the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allaah be pleased with them); rather it is an innovation (bid’ah). End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The words of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him): “We did Hajj with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and some of us were reciting takbeer (‘Allaahu akbar’) and some of us were reciting tahleel (‘La ilaaha ill-Allaah’)” (agreed upon) indicate that they did not recite the Talbiyah in unison. If they had been reciting the Talbiyah in unison then they would all have been reciting tahleel or takbeer, but some of them were reciting takbeer and some of them were reciting tahleel, but each of them was remembering his Lord according to his situation. End quote.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti’(7/111)
And Allaah knows best.

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