In Surat Al-Rum (The Romans) there is another
verse which most clearly and scientifically points to the formation of
precipitation, the basis of which is the directing of winds to accumulate
and climb upwards. [Note: Convergence
due to the coming of winds from all directions to a particular place is
the main phenomenon which causes downpour. The author of the book assessed
the amount of air which rises as a result of the process of convergence.
In case rain falls accompanying depression in the eastern area of the Mediterranean
during winter (The Cyprus Atmospheric Depression, as it is called by the
writer) and found equal to 70,000 cubic kilometres per hour. This helps
us, and clarifies the meaning of the term convergence referred to in this
book. It means that wind is released from all, or most directions surrounding
one particular zone in order to accumulate there. From this point the air
gets cold due to ascent and the result will be the fall of continuous rain.]
The
verse is this:
"Allah is He Who sends forth the winds,
so they raise a cloud, then He spreads it forth in the sky as He pleases,
and He piles it, so that you see the rain coming forth from inside it;
then when He causes it to fall upon whom He pleases of His servants, Lo
they rejoice."
In Surat Fatir (The Originator) there
is another verse which reads as follows:
"And
Allah is He Who sends the winds, so they raise a cloud, then We drive it
on to a dead land, and therewith give life to the earth after its death.
Even so is the quickening."
This verse shows that after admitting this important scientific fact, the
Holy Quran once again reminds people how rain resuscitates earth after
its decay, which proves that resurrection could take place later.
The following verses are included in Surat Al-Nahl
(The Bee):
"He it is who sends down water from the clouds for you; it gives drink."
"And Allah sends down water from above, and therewith gives life to the
earth after its death."
From Surat
A1-Kahf (The Cave) the following could be quoted:
"And will send on (thine)
a reckoning from heaven so that it is dust without plant."
"And set forth to them the parable of the life of this world as water which
We send down from the cloud."
In Surat Taha:
"And sent down water from the clouds. Then hereby We bring forth pairs
of various herbs.'
This means that water which falls down from the clouds, despite the established
fact of its chemical composition according to the diversity of localities,
is capable of producing varieties of plants. This is a sign of the omnipotence
of the Creator and it bears testimony to His limitless might and power.
In Surat Al-Nur (The Light) another verse says:
`And
He sends down from the heaven (clouds like)
mountains, wherein is hail."
Hail, [Note: Hail
is different from snow which falls on cold zones. It is a usual natural
phenomenon seen in most parts of the globe, particularly in damp hot areas.
During heavy storms, hails size may equal that of pomegranates falling
on earth, it destroys harvests and may kill cattle. But usually, hail's
size does not exceed the size of a small nut . In Egypt, hail is called
"the salt" and falls down together with rain in winter.] granted by
Heaven, is formed inside cumulus growing in a vertical direction. These
clouds are those which go upwards, under special atmospheric conditions,
with summits like mountains. Despite the assorted kinds of clouds and their
characteristic diversities, the holy verse, mentioned above, refers specifically
to the possibility of the coming down of hail from cumulus, which is an
indisputable scientific fact.
The Quran again says in Surat Al-Anbiya (The Prophets)
:
"He said: My Lord knows (every)
utterance in the heaven and the earth."
It behooves us if we pause here a little longer to ponder over the deep
meanings of this verse which has a clear bearing on a scientific fact.
The phraseology used is simple but notable. The verse states that heavens
there are utterances, which means that in heavens there should be creatures
which speak or talk. Here, we may take the term "talk" to mean different
methods used by all creatures, those endowed with reason and others without
it, such as insects, [Note:
Insects are the most superb creatures known on the surface of the earth.
Nothing could deter their progress towards development except the absence
of an inner bone structure within their bodies. Another obstacle
is their respiratory system. Some one million years ago, insects reached
the pinnacle of their grandeur. They set up social units and colonies in
which the individual was subordinate to the general interest and where
it was assigned a particular duty to perform Examples of this are ants,
bees and the concentrations of white ants which lived right from the end
of the ancient periods of life up to this day, without any change or development
worth mentioning.] for
communication with each other. We can take such utterances as statements
made by human beings and consider them as a factor distinguishing creatures
with reason from Creatures without it. At any rate, in all parts of the
skies and heavens there are creatures which resemble those living on earth.
And if there are planets in our solar system or in other systems floating
in space whose climate and environment favor the existence of life and
its development in a way comparable to life on earth, this verse, then,
gives information about the existence of life in them. This means that
creatures created of materials known either on earth or in other planets,
are numberless. The Holy Quran stands unique among other holy books in
giving this important statement which informs human beings that they are
not the only living beings.
If we speak about existence of life in other planets, we should not forget
that a host of scientists gives assurances that life, whenever it exists,
should rely on the existence of the carbon atom and its derivatives as
well as big quantities of water in which such compounds will dissolve.
Surat Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) mentions:
"And
We made from water everything living." Scientists admit that carbon
is the sole element which builds bodies, as it yields various compounds
produced by complicated series formed of its particles. Carbon constituents
always need specified amounts of heat in order to be kept intact. It is
noticed that under very low temperature, these constituents cannot unite.
At boiling point, most of them disintegrate. If this is the case, suitable
temperature has to be the most important element in keeping life everywhere.
It is a fact that carbon constituents can dissolve in liquids other than
water, whatever will be the way used and the degree of softness. Although
carbon chemistry has been carefully studied, yet nobody could be aware
of the limit of this element's potentialities. Some scientists conceived
that many other kinds of life may appear under circumstances different
from those found on earth. It is know :for instance, that carbon and silica
compounds, are numberless. They can survive high Temperature. This shows
that big planets, having thick atmospheres, should have more chances for
the formation of such compounds, and probably the existence of living creatures.
If we try to define the shape or form which developed races living outside
our planet will have we should, in this case, and without inviting complications
act on the assumption that nature has made no dissimilarity whatsoever
in its methods. [Note:
Thou seest no incongruity in the creation of the Beneficent
"Surat Al- Mulk"] accordingly
such creatures, in their attempt to make a good show, share with us the
following :
- The body's reliance on an inner osteology made of hard material.
- The existence of a main center for nerves (the brain) and a net which
communicates to various parts of the body directives (the nerves)
- The best shelter for the brain which exists inside a safe movable organ
either in the fore or the top part of the body. This organ also contains
the main organs of sensation, such as the eyes which are found whenever
light is abundant, ears whenever sound wayes are conducted every where,
nose, tongue, etc.
- Creature’s dependence upon legs used in motion.
- The existence of a mouth for speaking and feeding. In certain cases
some creatures use signals only, while others use drawing or suggestive
devices.
From the Quranic verses which refer to the fact that on near and far planets
there are surely creatures are the following:
"Seek they then other than Allah's religion? And to Him submits whoever
is in the heavens and the earth." Surat Al-Imran (The Family of Imran).
"All those in the heavens and the
earth ask of Him. Every moment He is in a state (of
glory). - Surat Al-Rahman (The Beneficent).
"And thy Lord best knows those who are in the heavens and the earth."
-
Surat Al-Israa (The Ascension).
"There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes to the Beneficent
as a servant." Surat Maryam (Mary).
"Seest thou not that to Allah makes submission whoever is in the heavens
and whoever is in the earth."
Surat Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage).
"Seest thou not that Allah is He, Whom do glorify all those who are in
the heavens and the earth."
Surat AI-Nur (The Light).
"Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah."
-
Surat Al-Naml.
"And the day when the trumpet is blown then those in the heavens and those
in the earth will be struck with terror." -
Surat Al-Naml.
"And the trumpet is blown, so all those in the heavens and all those in
the earth will swoon." -
Surat Al-Zumar (The Companies).
"And He is whosever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to
Him." -
Surat Al-Rum (The Romans).
"And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what
He has spread forth in both of them of living beings. And He is All-powerful
to gather them together, when He will." -
Surat Al-Shura (The Council).
"And to Allah makes obeisance every living creature that is in the heavens
and that is in the earth, and the angels (too)
and they are not proud." -
Surat Al-Nahi (The Bee).
The last verse may be one of the clearest verses of the Holy Quran which
differentiates between angels and other creatures living in the heavens.
The latter may also include occupied planets or others on which material
creatures live as in the case of the earth. Heavens were again mentioned
in Surat Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
as follows:
"And whoever associates (aught) with
Allah, it is as if he had fallen from on high, then the birds had snatched
him away."
"Seest thou not that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then the earth
becomes green."
"And He withholds the heavens from falling on the earth except with His
permission."
Celestial bodies are of different sizes and forms. Among them are suns,
stars, planets as well as meteors and meteorites. All of these bodies run
in orbits and are bound by gravity. The earth may intervene in one of the
meteorites' paths in space, when floating around the sun. Some of these
meteorites run at a speed of about 45 miles per second, and for this reason,
it is estimated that any meteorite which weighs one fraction over one thousand
of only one gramme can run in to that of a gun's bullet. Although the size
of such a meteorite will not exceed at all the size of one particle of
sand, it causes direct injury, in case it collides with a human body, no
less in damage than any resulting from a direct fireshot.
Thousands of millions of such bodies fall without indulgence every day
down to the upper atmosphere of the earth, when the latter penetrates their
paths. But these meteorites soon evaporate or burn out. This takes place
at a distance ranging from 80 to 100 kilometers far from the surface of
the earth as a result of the generating of immense heat due to resistance
of the upper atmospheric cover. It is needless to say that quick traction
causes immense heat which causes in turn the evaporation of meteorites
and setting them on fire. For this reason, these celestial bodies do not
reach the earth's surface. The atmospheric cover protects us from their
dangers. The same happens to meteors, but because of the big size of some
of them, meteors sometimes reach the earth. Among the known meteors which
feel down to the earth is the Big Siberian Meteor which fell in 1908, shaking
the surface of the earth and causing great damage in a circle more than
40 kilometers in diameter. . Again, the meteor which fell down on Arizona,
America, was responsible for a crater in the crust of the earth of more
than one mile in diameter and 200 meters deep. It happened that when this
meteor collided with the earth's crust, it exploded and its splinters flew
away in all directions in the form of other meteors.
Naturally, meteors are to be considered as a great threat to universal
space travelers. The story of the meteors which follow devils trying to
go upwards in the skies is not new. The Holy Quran,
in Surat Al Jinn, tells us of something which happens in the in
visible world as follows:
"And we sought to reach
heaven, but we found it filled with strong guards and flame. And we used
to sit in some of the sitting-places thereof to steal a hearing. But he
who tries to listen now finds a flame lying in wait for him."
It also says in
Surat Al-Rahman (The Beneficent):
"O assembly of jinn and men, if you are
able to pass through the regions of the heavens along the diameters of
the earth, then pass through. You cannot pass trough but with authority.
Which then of the bounties of your
This holy verse reveals to us a number of secrets about the space. It tells
us that universal space is not an absolute vacuum in the real sense. In
fact, space is full of electrons and nuchi of elements without which life
cannot exist at all. Observations from universal space did not become available
to people except in this era of space and satellites. It was discovered
that around the earth there are complete bands or belts containing big
assemblies of electrons kept in space under the effect of the earth’s magnetic
field electrons are ejected form the sun with great energy. No living
body can expose itself to such bands nor penetrate them with out great
precautions. Till now little has been know about the success achieved by
living creatures in going through such belt. Scientists give most of the
constituents of space bands the name of cosmic rays. This name might have
been given because some of those rays and electrons come from distances
deep in space . Here, again, the atmospheric cover of the earth hinders
such rays from reaching.
The Quran also mentions the earth evolution and the amounts of matter it
contains in this respect the following verse appears in
Surat Al-Muminun (the believers):
"And We sent down water from heavens according
to a measure then We caused it to settle in the earth"
This means that water found on the earth was not given aimlessly. It was
given in measured quantities and for particular reason .The earth with
its water has a certain function to fulfill has the dwelling place for Man
the image of God some people wrongly think that in covering most of the
earth surface with oceans and seas there had to be much prodigality. The
fact is contrary to that it is the oceans that regularize the distribution
of the main heat on earth they are effective media for fair distribution
of solar energy received by the earth .
Oceans and seas could be regarded as big reservoirs for heat storing the
sun’s energy which is gained by different ways in places where it could
be found in abundance, such as in the tropics These reservoirs give heat
to areas in need of it or in times of scarcity. Without oceans and seas,
earth could have become a planet with maximum and minimum degrees of temperature
and the bodies of living creatures could not have endured life in such
very hot and very cold regions. Oceans, which cover more than three quarters
of the earth's surface, prevent such things from happening by virtue of
the natural characteristics or properties they have.
Despite the fact that oceans are so wide, as we have already stated, we
still suffer in continental areas far from oceans, from the differences
resulting from the maximum and minimum degrees of temperature. In the midst
of Siberia, temperature may reach 70 degrees centigrade below zero in winter,
while in the midst of the deserts of the two big tropics temperature reaches
50 degrees centigrade above zero in summer. This fact stands as good proof
of the part played by oceans in mitigating and regularizing heat.
For this reason, the midst of Siberia, and not the geographical Pole familiar
to us, should be considered as the northern heat pole. The fact that oceans
create proper and suitable climates for-life could also be seen from our
examination of the clear climatic differences in both regions of the North
and South Poles. The North Pole is nearly a closed sea while in the South
Pole there is a dry land surrounded by ocean from afar.
As a result, the Antarctic Circle becomes barren and covered by snow all
over the year. Temperature, there, scarcely leaves the zero degree. On
its exposed to-storms rocks no plants could grow except mushrooms and fungus.
Some kinds of birds and microscopic
insects could be found
there But the Arctic Circle is something different. Near this region's
edges, temperature, in summer, goes up to reach a level which enables certain
plants, such as Tundura plantations and numerous varieties of flowers,
to grow. The more the sea goes northwards the better the climate will be.
All this is due to the natural characteristics of water.
As regards
the entire space the Quran says: "Blessed is He Who
made the stars in the heavens and made therein a sun."
Zodiacs, as we have already mentioned, are composed of assemblies of stars
as seen from the earth. The sun under which we live is not so relatively
distant. It is a big star of a diameter of more than one and one third
millions of kilometers. In this, its diameter exceeds in length that of
the earth by one hundred times. The sun resembles a lamp which sends light
and heat. Its radiating surface reaches a temperature of 6,000 degrees
centigrade. This heat increases immensely and swiftly near its center where
it amounts to more than 20 million degrees centigrade. The reason for this
is that the constituents of the center are exposed to heavy pressures beyond
imagination. The sun, as a lamp, is again mentioned in Surat
Nuh (Noah) as follows: "And made the moon therein a light, and made the
sun a lamp."
From the sun burst forth inflammable gases to altitudes of thousands of kilometers. Among those flames going upwards are the sun spots. They are
giant storms which take place in the atmosphere of the sun. Any of these
storms' diameter may measure about 50,000 kilometers. Usually, such storms
are followed by The propagation of magnetic and electrical waves in space
which will be accompanied in turn by magnetic storms on the earth These
storms spoil and jam wireless and radio operations.
Before entering the earth’s atmosphere solar radiation is composed of different
wavelengths or characteristics. But most of them could be grouped in a
band limited by two waves one of 0.17 microns and the other about 4. The
percentage rations of the different constituents of the solar beam are
as follows:
- about 9% is ultra-violet rays. This ratio constitutes a band whose wave length
ranges from 0.17 to 0.33 micron .These rays which could not be seen by
bare eye have great effect on living cells.
- About 50% is light which constitutes a band of radiations whose wavelengths
to be between 0.34 and about 0.8 microns. This band is the source of light
scattered in daytime over the earth and its atmosphere. Thus the sun is
nothing but a body resembling a lamp which illuminates and heats the earth
and its atmosphere exactly as it has been mentioned the Quran. Illumination
reaches its maximum degree at midday in summer light’s intensity is double
that of winter. In Cairo for instance light amount to about 10.000 candle
feet in summer and about 5,000 candle –feet in winter candle feet is the
scientific field. To make this easy to comprehend we would say that it
we want to easily and comfortably illuminate a big hall, we, in this case,
will need 1, 500 candle-feet sunlight has great effect on the growth of
plantation and blossoms as they always require specified amounts of light.
- About 41% is infra-red, or heat, rays. This constitutes a long band
of wave ranging from about 0.8 to more than 4 microns.
The density of solar radiation on each square centimeter outside the atmosphere
of the earth amounts to about 2 calories [Note:
The calorie is the quantity of heat required to calorify one gramme of
water for only one degree centigrade.] per minute. This amount is called "the solar constant".
On entering the earth's atmosphere, solar radiation decreases gradually
due to several reasons and factors found in the atmosphere of the earth
itself. Among those reasons are the scattering of light, or the scattering
by air particles and other small ones floating in the air, and the absorption
by the atomic oxygen in high altitudes and by the ozone gas which is found
at altitudes ranging from 15 to 45 kilometers.
The
scattering of light is responsible for illuminating the atmosphere of the
earth as stated before. This is called the daytime light. If we leave behind
the earth's atmosphere and go upwards to the universal space, we will find
it, despite the rising of the sun and its appearance in one of the sky's
corners, dark. This phenomenon could be picturised as if the daytime is
snatched from the night, the result of which will be complete darkness. Originally,
space is dark and daytime is nothing but an incidental matter which is
illumination of the atmosphere by the scattering of light. This process
does not occur except in the atmosphere of the earth and other similar
planets. The Holy Quran is sublime in mentioning this fact glorifying in
Surat Yasin. It says:
"And a sign to them is the night: We draw forth from the day..."
Solar radiation changes on the earth's surface from one place to another,
regularly and during the whole year. This occurs as a result of astronomical
factors, among which are the following:
- The angle of the sunray's inclination on a particular spot. Radiation
becomes immense when rays fall perpendicularly on the surface of the place.
- The distance between the sun and the spot given. The more the distance
becomes short, the greater becomes the radiation density. But the effect
of the ray's inclination is usually greater than the effect resulting from
changes of distances. This is due to the fact that changes of distance
are small relatively. The earth's orbit around the sun is not completely circular.
[Note:
Distance between the earth and the sun changes regularly and during the
whole year. In January, for example, distance amounts to 147 million kilometres,
while in July, 152 Difference as it is noticed, is of 5 million kilometres.]
Generally, solar radiation reaching the earth's surface changes according
to altitudes. Big quantities of it go to the Equator, while small ones
go to the Poles. If the average heat day equals the average of the quantity
of solar radiation taken in 24 hours from near the Equator, regardless
of other factors, the quantity of radiation on various altitudes in the
whole year, estimated by average heat day, will be as follows:
|
Altitude:
|
0 degree |
20 deg.
|
40 deg.
|
60 deg.
|
80 deg.
|
| Average: (Heat Days)
|
365 |
345 |
289 |
208 |
157 |
The earth,
in its revolution around itself, has an axis inclined at 23.5 degrees to
its orbit around the sun. Virtually, solar radiation does not intersect
the Equator normally except on 21 March and 22 September, when the night
equals in time the day everywhere. After March 21, the sun, in the northern
hemisphere, begins its ostensible migration to the north, the matter which
adds to the length of the day and makes it longer than that of the night.
This continues until the sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer (altitude 23.5
degrees to north), which is the maximum to which the sun can go northward.
This takes place on June 21. On that day, radiation falls perpendicularly
on the Tropic of Cancer. From there, the sun moves towards the south until
it intersects the Equator on September 22. It continues to move southward
till it reaches the Tropic of Capricorn (altitude 23.5 degrees to the south)
on December 22. From there, it repeats its movement.
Since the sun constitutes one of the stars of our galaxy, which completed
since its appearance in the universal space about 20 rotations around itself,
it is estimated that the sun itself, together with the other members of
the solar system, like the stars, run in a
speed equaling hundreds
of millions of kilometers per hour. The Holy Quran describes this fact
as follows in Surat Yasin:
"And the sun moves on
to its destination: That is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knower."
In Luqman:
"He has made the sun and the moon subservient
(to
you) - each pursues its course till an appointed
time."
In Fatir (The Originator) :
"And He has made subservient the sun and the
moon, each one moves to an appointed time."
Other Quranic verses showing the sun and other planets' move are many.
Besides, they show the state of balance and equilibrium among forces influencing
it. For example, the Holy Quran says in Surat Yasin:
"And all float on in an orbit."
In Al-Saffat (Those Ranging in Ranks)
"And of His signs is this, that the heaven and the earth subsist by His
command."
In Al-Saffat (Those Ranging in Banks)
"Surely We have adorned the lower heaven with an adornment, the planets."
This shows that the assembly of planets which reflect back sun's light
adorn the lower sky. If the verge of that sky is to be marked by the path
of these planets, the nearest sky to us may contain the following:
a) The cover of the earth's atmosphere, including rainy and non-rainy
clouds:
The near universal
space, including atoms, particles, meteors, etc.... which transverse the
path of planets, including the earth. These bodies may also transverse
any traveler in space. Almost all of the meteors burn out as soon as they
enter the upper atmosphere of the earth, and in this case, they appear
in the form of swooping stars. The Quran says in Surat
Almulk (The Kingdom)
"And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with
lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils ."
The
same meaning came in a verse in Surat Fussilat
(Things Made Plain ). It says :
"And We adorned the lower heaven with lights,
and (make it)
to guard ."
Here one would enquire about the whereabouts of other stars. My answer
to a such a query would be that details about other skies have not been
referred to in the holy Quran, and hence, we have to refrain from giving
any prediction as regards the hidden world. But since that inquiry will
be so important, I will try to quote most of the verses relating to the
skies and heavens with their characteristics mentioned in the Quran. This
may lead us to a satisfactory answer to such a query .
In Surat Sad:
"And We created not the heaven and
the earth and what is between them in vain ."
In this verse, one
can realize that the space existing between the heavens and the earth is
not void of material and other universal activity.
In Surat Ghafer (The Forgiver) :
"Allah is He Who
made the earth a resting-place for you and the heaven a structure."
In Fussilat (Things Made Plain):
"Then He directed Himself to the heaven
and it was a gas."
It is scientifically admitted that existence originated from hydrogen gas
which existed in the universal space. Hydrogen is known amongst scientists
as the "universal gas". This evolution of the universe was accomplished
by a series of steps or developments accompanied by the gradual concentration
of the universal gas by gravity, before it could take the form of nebulae,
galaxies, stars or planets. The steps could be summarized and serialized as follows:
Universal gas ---- galaxies ---- stars ---- planet
The density or concentration of the universal gas is so small that one
atom of it could be found in a space equal to that of an ordinary match
box. But, in spite of this, the existing quantity of that gas exceeds today
the quantity crammed in all galaxies by one thousand times. This is despite
the fact that the first development and evolution process which accompanied
the existence of the universe took place thousands of - millions of years
ago. The reason for this may be that galaxies, though very wide and big,
do not occupy in the limitless universal space except a small size only.
However, the sublime thing which this verse may be regarded to show is
that the various bodies (floating) in the sky had begun in the form of
a gas. This fact was almost endorsed by all theories of astronomy, what
ever differences there were in details.
In Al-Dukhan (The Drought) this comes out:
"So wait for the day when the heaven brings a clear drought."
In my view, this verse refers mostly to the Judgment Day and gives us one
of its signs. It is, however, admitted that each star, or sun resembling
ours, has to expand once before attaining stability. Our sun, in particular,
did not pass by this stage and it is still in its early days. If it happens
that it expands, its wild fire and inflammable atmospheric gases will then
fill the near space and reach the earth. That is the meaning which the
previous verse refers to. The same is also included in this verse:
"And the sun and the moon are brought together."
In Al-Jathiya (The Kneeling) this verse could
be found:
"And (in) the
variation of the night and the day and (in) the sustenance which Allah sends down from the heaven, then gives life thereby to the earth after its death, and
(in)
the changing of the winds, are signs for a people who understand."
This
verse, clearly, deals with the principles of astronomy, atmospheric physics
and biology, and points out that science is the source of force and sovereignty
and the basis of piety and faith.
In Surat Qaf:
"Do they not look at the sky above them?
How We have made it and adorned it."
This, as the former verse quoted from Al-Jathiya, deals with the principles
of astronomy. The same Sura has another similar verse, it is:
"And We send down from the clouds water abounding in good, then We cause to
grow thereby gardens and the grain that is reaped."
If something
is to be gathered from this repetition, it will be the importance the Quran
attaches to science and the need to give it priority.
"Heavens"
also came in the following two verses included in Al-Zariyat:
"So by the Lord of the heavens and the earth... It is surely the truth,
just as you speak."
"And the heaven, We raised it high with power, and We are expanding it."
The reference to heavens mentioned in this verse deals with, and explains,
the borders of the visible universe and their vastness or expansion in
the course of time. This phenomenon, or result, is the strangest of all
scientific conclusions reached in the last years. Since the meaning of
the verse is quite clear, no more explanation will be required. Its scientific
elocution and eloquence could not be overlooked.
It is admitted that the big units of the universe, or galaxies, go far
away from each other with high speed. Thus the universe increases in size
or expands. The more galaxies go far away, the quicker their release in
the limitless space will be. It was noticed that galaxies near our own
recede at a speed of so many millions of miles every one hour. Other galaxies
of greater distances do the same but at a speed exceeding 200 million miles
every one hour. The speed of galaxies far away from our own galaxy by double
of these distances approaches that of light. Beyond these limits, the speed
of the receding galaxies may exceed the speed of light. As a result of
this, light coming from such, could not reach us. This means that they
belong to the unseen universe. However, the limit between what we can witness
in the material existence and what we cannot is the galaxy which recedes
at the speed of light. Today, this galaxy is estimated to be far from our
own by four thousand millions of light years
In short, it could be said that due to the expansion of the universe in
which we live, or due to the receding of its galaxies in the long run,
the limits of this universe could be defined and determined at the verge
or the sky after which magnifying glasses could see no more. This universe
contains more than one hundred thousand millions of galaxies, all of which
are separated and isolated from each other By the passage of time, and
with the increase of the speed at which they recede from our own galaxy,
those galaxies could disappear beyond the seen universe gradually. If such
a thing takes place, we will live in a universe void of galaxies, except
our own. But the fact is that such a thing will not happen and existence
will not be so empty as we have imagined one day. On the contrary, it will
still remain full of galaxies, as it is approximately seen today. The reason
for this is that while galaxies going beyond seen limits disappear, new
ones gradually show up, made of universal gas, which was responsible for
the formation of old galaxies.
The universal
gas already referred to is the main material for the formation of the universe.
It does not become extinct at all and its quantities in our seen universe
do not diminish. Hence scientists' query: From where does such gas come?
Does it come from infinite space, in continuous succession, to replace
the shortage in its quantities lost in the formation of new galaxies ?
Or does it come from a hidden place? Or, is it being created?
Most of the clues and scientific evidences prove that the gas does not
come from a specified place ; it is created. Sometimes, the atoms of this
material are no more present, but, suddenly, they show up. This denotes
that the procession of the formation of hydrogen is a continuous one, otherwise
this gas would have disappeared due to its being accumulated and, later,
exhausted, inside far galaxies. Hydrogen, also, accumulates inside stars
and submits to great pressures due to gravity. This great pressure results
in the rising of temperature in the formation centers of stars and suns
to millions of degrees. Here, atomic operations become active and gas changes,
under various pressures, to ashes of helium gas and other elements. The
chain is completely irreversible, as it cannot act otherwise. The end of
the process cannot, under any circumstances, become the beginning of new
hydrogen. Obviously, the maintenance of the gas in the universal space
till now, despite the interaction of all such factors, is no more than
a clear proof that it is continually remodeled and formed. For this reason,
the average of gas density in space remains unchanged.
However, it is a fact that the rate of the formation of the main material
of the universe is very slow. Hydrogen does not appear in abundance at
any specified place. Its rate could be equaled to that of the formation
of one atom, in one year, inside a space equaling that of a big hall.
Such a rate could not be measured nor experimentally observed. But it could
be mathematically counted.
If such an account is to be applied to the space of the whole seen universe,
the created material will result in the existence of unimaginable quantities.
They will exceed million million million million million million tons every
second! This new material produces pressure and motion which result in
turn the isolation of galaxies and the expansion of the universe.
In Surat Al-Tur (The Mountain) the following
verse appears :
"On the day when the heaven will be in a state of commotion."
Probably,
a similar meaning is given by a verse in Surat Al-Rahman
(The Beneficent):
"So when the heaven is rent asunder, so it becomes red like red hide."
Searching for other verses dealing with the
same subject we have:
In Al-Haqqah (The Sure Truth):
"And the heaven will be cleft asunder; so
that day it will be frail."
This refers to the Judgment Day when
the landmarks of this universe change.
[Note: The following verses have
the same meaning: "And the heaven is opened so it
becomes as doors" - Al Naba (The Announcement).
"And when the heaven is
rent asunder" - Al-Mursalat (Those Sent Forth).
"And when the heaven has
its covering removed". - Al-Takwir (The Folding up).
"when the heaven is
cleft asunder" - Al-Infitar (The Cleaving).
"When the heaven hursts asunder"
- Al-Inshiqaq (The Bursting Asunder). "By the cloud giving
rain" - Al-Tariq
(The Comer by Night).]
In
Al-Maarij (The Ways of Ascent) :
"The day when the heaven is as molten
brass."
In Al-jinn there is a verse which says:
"And we sought to reach heaven,
but we found it filled with strong guards and flame."
This verse
points out that meteors and cosmic rays, etc... which cross the universal
space near the earth's path are among the grave sources of extinction any traveler
in the space can encounter as soon as he leaves the earth's limits.
Here, again, the meaning of the "to reach heavens" become also clear, as
some of these meteors succeed in dashing through the earth's atmosphere
and burn out at a distance ranging from 80 to 100 kilometers from its surface.
In Al-Maida (The Food) there
is a verse which reads:
"And Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between
them. He creates what He pleases."
This verse shows clearly that the universal space existing between various
bodies in the sky is not void of everything, such as energy or ether waves.
In it there are unseen particles which science has discovered lastly in
the space age. In the same Sura there is another verse bearing the same
meaning; it reads as follows:
"And Allah's is the
kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and to Him
is the eventual coming."
"Heavens" is also mentioned in the same Sura as follows
"Knowest thou not that Allah is He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens
and the earth?"
"That is that you may know that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens
and whatever is in the earth."
"Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in
them; and He is Possessor of over all things."
In Surat Hud a verse says:
"And He it is Who created the heavens and the
earth in six periods."
This verse denotes that existence was created at a certain time and that
it also at specified period to complete. Formerly, we had given many verses
bearing the same meaning.
The second
law of Thermodynamics points out that the universe could not be infinite
in time; on the contrary, it had started at a specified time. Heat is always
being transferred from hot material bodies to cold bodies. This process
cannot be reversed and heat, accordingly, cannot return from cold bodies
to hot bodies. The universe has to approach a case when the temperatures
of all bodies become equal and the source of energy disappears. As a result
of this, chemical and physical operations, such as radiation and the exchange
of heat energy between various bodies, discontinue and the phenomena of
life in the universe completely vanish. But since life is still going on
and chemical and physical processes are still in operation, the logical
conclusion of all this is that this universe could not have started from
immortal time, otherwise, all its energies should have been exhausted by
the passage of time, and activities stopped everywhere. As far as the Thermodynamics
is concerned, it could be seen that the universe had a starting point which
did not go without limit. On the contrary, it was a limited beginning which
started, as scientists have estimated according to different calculations,
since 4 or 5 thousand million years. It was also pointed and that the universe
is still subject to a continuous process of expansion. The skies verges
surrounding us take today the shape of a circular universe which can extend
to a point where its radius reaches : 4 x 10 27 to
5 x 10 27 centimeters. This equals a number of 4 or
5, followed by 27 zeroes. Light can cover such a distance in 4 or 5 X 10
years. The mass of this universe, including material and energy, was calculated to amount
to 5 x 10 56 grammes (i.e. number 5, followed by 56 zeroes ).
Those were some of the references made in the Quran to the heavens. From
all the verses quoted, it could be easily noticed that the word "heavens"
was given to everything we can see of the bodies floating in the skies,
such as suns, stars and the planets going deep in the space, which form,
with the earth, a consolidated unit which constitutes the whole material
universe. The Holy Quran, contrary to what some people believed, did not
mean by this term the things hidden from us or the things hidden in the
supernatural world, like ghosts and spirits. [Note:
In this study, I do not deal except with the questions admitted by material
scientific experiments or with what could be subject to science itself.
Questions beyond this, related to worlds unknown but to God himself and
discussed only by Him or the Holy Prophet, are certainly beyond science's
jurisdiction. These questions we have to take for granted as they relate
to the Unseen referred to by God in the Holy Quran as "It
is a guide to those who keep their duty, who believe in the Unseen." -
Surat Al-Baqara] This is a very important point as it shows the importance Islam attaches
to the material world. It urges us to make scientific and practical studies
of such a world, in away completely remote from speculation or imagination,
and without indulging in unfeasible controversy.
It is high time now for us to face facts and stick to correct beliefs.
In addition to this, the Holy Quran contains more of such verses relating
to the universe, the narration of which will find no room in such a small
space. But, instead, we will tell of some of them which are confined to
the explanation of certain phenomena of the universe, or, scientifically
speaking, nature's phenomena or laws. All these phenomena, of course, were
neither seen by the Prophet personally, like those relating to physics
and phenomena of seas, nor were they read by him in books.
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