CLONING
Testifies Resurrection

Man has confirmed the Islamic belief by this experiment
and refuted materialism

By
Sheikh Mohammed Shihabuddin Nadvi

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Does a buried man be raised again? Is the resurrection possible when all the parts of the dead body have been either scattered, destroyed or have turned into dust alone? — Right from the yore to the present day, all men who do not believe in God and His powers have been refuting the very idea of resurrection as it was advocated by religion. The atheists and the materialists have been condemning this concept as mere human fantasy and religious innovation. They claim that they have no rational basis at all.

Resurrection is Inevitable Truth

A great blow has been hurled on to the claims of these so-called rationalists. Cloning has successfully produced a replica of an animal through a process which does not involve any sexual intercourse. This development of a cell into a full-fledged living entity does provide an irrefutable proof of the claim of resurrection by religion. Whatever might be the purpose and aim of such an experiment, none can dare dismiss the happening of the Resurrection Day now!

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Sowing Human Beings

The possible happening of the Doom’s Day has been made light of or even laughed at by scientists themselves and others enamoured by science equally! Reviving a dead after complete destruction was a far-fetched myth. And now when the Scot scientist Ian Wilmut has produced a carbon copy of the mother by taking a cell from her and developing it in the laboratory, they are holding their breath! Such successful experiments have been carried on frogs and monkeys too! It is now possible to manufacture an exact replica of a human being by developing the cell in a laboratory and then implanting it in a foetus taken on hire. And all this would be without involving any sexual process. Ian Wilmut does claim that production of such human beings might be possible in about another two years.

The ‘Clone Ewe’ has been christened as Dolly. It is seven months old while its cell is claimed to be six and a half years old. This means the cell was obtained 6 1/2 years ago and preserved in the laboratory to be developed into a living body later. Cloning thus does not involve any sexual intercourse at all! This newly developed process of Genetical Engineering is a highly complicated and costly process involving millions of dollars.

What would be the moral and social effects of such a development? Hot discussions have started all around. That these experiments should not be extended to humans is the view propounded and propagated by religious bodies. In fact such experiments have been banned even in some of the western countries. But for how long?

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Basic Biological System

The production of the exact replica of a man from a single cell indicates that innumerable persons can be brought out from the cells present in his body. Cells, as is known, are the building units of all living bodies. Each of these units function as an organised factory since a dynamic matter namely protoplasm is present in it. In addition chromosomes and DNA present in them constitute genetic material. One of the characteristics of these genetic matter is the preservation of parental and species characteristics. And these characteristics pass on from parent to the progeny. It is for this reason that the offsprings have close resemblance in colour, facial features and other physical characteristics as well as their behaviour and actions. It can safely be surmised that the complete personality lays hidden in the tiny cell. The formation of the child starts from two cells — one of which will be the contribution of the father and the other belongs to the mother. When these two unite the process of fertilisation starts through continuous cell division within a matter of minutes and this process leads to the formation of the embryo in about 120 days within in the womb of the mother.

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Copying Divine Creation

So now man has become successful in deciphering the process of creation. Starting from a single cell without the help of any sexual process, he has discovered the process of artificial creation. Although for him this whole process has been a conscious effort, unknowingly he has produced irrefutable proof of the resurrection of the life on the Doomsday. The materialistic scientists have, thus, themselves certified the veracity of the teachings of the great Prophets. Of course this they have done unconsciously. So now it is established scientifically that even if a single cell of a body survives after the death, the person can be revived. Revival of life, thus, is not an impossibility.

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Revelation through a Tradition

Arriving at the truth scientifically, let us go back to the study of a few Traditions of the holy Prophet (Pbuh). This will shed light on the revival of life from a fresh angle and certain new facts would be revealed. According to certain Traditions, when the whole body is perished — flesh and bones and all, on burying of the dead under mud, everything is perished except the coccyx through which the recreation takes place. (Sahih Bukhari, V.6, P.79 & Sahih Muslim, V.4, P.2271) In another Tradition this vestigial bone is described to be as big as a mustard seed. (Ibne Hajar Asqalani, Fathul Bari, V.8, P.552) This indicates that it is a very tiny body. Being a devoted student of biological processes I was bold enough to equate this body to a ‘cell’ and had discussed in detail in some of my earlier books the resurrection of life utilizing this cell. The present discoveries have established my conjecture as a fact. What this author had conjectured nearly ten to fifteen years ago has turned out to be a reality, i.e., the same person can be brought out alive from the single surviving cell. From this count a great revolution is contemplated in the field of philosophy and thought and that will be the Islamic Revolution. It would be an extraordinary revolution which would bury all old theories, corollaries and material philosophies for ever.

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A New Life after Death

How does the single cell survive for ages together? New light has been thrown on this aspect by modern researches. As is known, various bacteria are single cell bodies that remain alive lying dormant physically for thousands of years under unfavourable conditions and then suddenly rise alive when favourable conditions become available. These microscopic bodies have their existence spread all over in earth, water and atmosphere. Similar single cell systems are also present in all animals and plants. Every living body is a conglomeration of innumerable tiny cells. Bacteria are single cell bodies. Insects comprise of hundreds and thousands of cells. Bigger animals have millions of these cells, while still larger animals like tiger, sheep and even man do possess billions and billions of these cells. These facts lead to the conclusion that the cell system is similar in the whole of biological world and that there will be a continuous process of fragmentation and synthesizing taking place all through. The worn out cells fade out, while fresh ones would be formed. A human cell resembles bacteria in form and constitutes a single unit of life.

According to modern researches certain bacteria would lie buried dead under heavy mud for thousands of years and then get revived as soon as favourable conditions become available. The bacteria are said to be under “dormancy” during this period and are referred as Spores. (Vide Encyclopedia Britannica, 1983, V. 10, P. 893)

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The Dead in Dormant Condition

This condition is a great witness on the resurrection. Even if one cell, which resembles a bacteria, gets preserved without undergoing decaying, it is possible to reproduce the man who will be the exact copy of the first. This means, ‘death’ is only an apparent condition. In reality it is in a dormant condition which is akin to deep sleep. Referring to the resurrection, the glorious Qur’an and the holy Traditions relate that when the men are raised alive again, then everyone would feel that he has waken from deep slumber:

The trumpet shall be sounded, when behold! From the sepulchers (men) will rush forth to their Lord! They will say, ‘Ah! Woe unto us! Who hath raised us up from our beds of repose?’ (A voice will say) ‘This is what (God) Most Gracious had promised. And true was the word of the apostles!’ It will be no more than a single Blast. When lo! they will all be brought up before Us! (Qur’an, 36:51-53)

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Divine and Human Creations

Cloning involving the production of a replica of an animal is not a simple or ordinary affair. It is quite complex and complicated. For example, to get the above clone of the sheep the experiment had to be repeated about 300 times i.e., 300 embryos were destroyed to obtain one clone. There is no such ‘waste’ in case of the creations carried out by the Creator of the universe. His one single commandment is enough to make the whole creation to rise up, as is seen in the above verse.

The reference to coccyx in the holy Traditions quoted earlier is only for the reflection of man. The creator is not bound by anything for expression of His Powers. It is only He Who creates things from nothing, For Him it is only enough to utter “Be” and that thing happens.

And whenever He willeth to create anything, He simply orderth it, `Be’ and there, it is. So glory be to Him Whose hand holdeth sovereignty over everything and to Him shall ye all have to return. (Qur’an, 36:82-83)

The successful creation of a whole animal from a single cell clearly unravels the nature of resurrection. It has also come to be known that man can repeat this process a number of times. Then will the Creator of the heavens and the earth fail to revive His creations? The fact is that this successful experiment of cloning by the scientists has certified the veracity of the belief in the Resurrection Day!

This process of Creation through a single cell is a common observance for man, since he comes across it in the form of embryo formation. Similar would be the creation of man through the single cell on the Resurrection Day.

And ye certainly know already the first form of creation. Will ye not then reflect that you will be raised again like this. (Qur’an, 56:62)

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Has Man Become God?

Apart from the religious faith, let us view this unique achievement of man through another angle. Has man become God through producing this clone? Is this human achievement a reflection on the divinity of God? Some persons do feel that man has superseded God. Such thinking is merely a fallacy. In reality these achievements strengthen man’s faith in Almighty God, because although this production appears to be a miracle, it is certainly not unnatural. The scientists have only studied the principles of nature more closely and deeply and have merely repeated the natural process. They have imitated the process of divine creation. If man were to perform this feat starting from dead bodies or mud, it would have certainly been a great miracle. He has now taken a cell already created by God and produced the clone. When he is not the creator of the cell, he cannot be the creator of this cloning also. He can never reach the realms of creation. He can only be an ‘imitator’.

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Challenge from the Glorious Qur’an

The Glorious Qur’an challenges in very clear terms that even if all men of the world or the false gods join together, they can never be able to create even a fly:

O people! an idea to ponder on is set forth to you. Pay heed to it. Note that they whom you invoke beside god, cannot create even a fly though all of them join to do it. (Qur’an, 22:73)

This parable was then applicable to the false gods of the polytheists. But now it is true of the scientists whom the common man elevates to the status of gods. The present day belief is that scientists can achieve anything!? If science does think or claim that it can occupy the berth of creation, let it perform such a feat taking dead bodies. It can never accomplish this task! Hence the creator of this whole universe is only one and will remain so for ever!

Such is God, your Lord, the Creator of all things, There is no god but He: Then how ye are deluded away from the Truth. (Qur’an, 40:62)

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Bungling with Divine Creation is Satanic

This process cannot be taken as a ‘creative act’. It can well be referred as a ‘destructive act’ since it bungles with divine creations. This fact was placed before the humanity by the All-knowing God right at the time when Satan was cursed and abandoned from the heavens when the devil declared:

... I will command them to disfigure God’s creation. (Qur’an, 4:119)

The verse is followed by:

Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires (hopes). But Satan’s promises are nothing but deception. (Qur’an, 4:120)

The word used here is Ghuroora which indicates that one is prone to deceiving others and to raising false hopes. The present action by being devilish in character is akin to deceiving humanity rising in them false hopes. In this there is hidden threat for the entire humanity.

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Moral and Cultural Impact of Cloning

What is the solution for social problems and complications that would arise because of this process? To find the solution would be the responsibility of the persons who might be bent to commit the crime of reducing the best of the creations to the lowest of beastly level and to transgressing all the levels of morality. They might turn men into guinea pigs. All this would be for the simple reason that man has forgotten his creator and master, has sought refuge in materialism and looks for solace through indulgence in material pleasures. For him nothing but matter exists. There is no room for the existence of any supreme power in the universe before whom he is answerable. Hence he has become his own master and overlooking the divine cues, he has closed his eyes from the hard facts of life. He feels quite independent and never allows anyone to restrict, reprimand or advice him.

However it is time that he can no more overlook God, Soul and Belief in the Doomsday. There is no go but for believing in Islamic faith and commandments. God willing, He will be presenting miraculous proofs of His existence repeatedly.

Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (farthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. (Qur’an, 41:53)

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End of Material Philosophies

Cloning is going to bring a great revolution in the realm of philosophy and thought which would prove the veracity of religion and religious thought and end all materialistic and atheistic philosophies. This is so because scientists themselves, through their successful experiments, have hit hard on the material philosophies which propagate that religion is a farce and declare that all knowledge that is not obtained through senses has no standing at all because only such knowledge has a standing which is based on the outcome of ‘naturalism’ and ‘experimentation’. Materialism, rationalism, scientism, logical positivism etc. are all brain children of such thinking process. But now, after the successful outcome of ‘cloning’, all these philosophies are proved out of date. The veracity of religious declarations has been proved. It has been established that knowledge is not merely the one that is arrived at through sensory experimentation but also that which is got through ‘revelation’ and ‘inspiration’. Is it not strange that ‘human knowledge’ itself is testifying and proving the validity and truth of ‘Divine Knowledge’ and ‘Revelation’ through its experiments, researches and activities. What would be more exciting and surprising than contradicting its own declarations! Such a contradiction of ‘words’ through the ‘actions’ does not stand the tests of ‘rationality’ itself!

And He shows you (always) His Signs; then which of the Signs of God will ye deny? (Qur’an, 40:81)

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Stop and Ponder!

Do the above arguments not prove the existence of an All-powerful and Supreme Being in the universe Whose knowledge is perennial and events are happening in accordance with His planning? And that the Day of Judgment would be an inevitable and irrefutable fact wherein the whole humanity, after resurrection, would be gathered for final interrogation and judgment.

The coming Event (Judgment) is drawing nigh: There is none beside God to ward it off. Do ye wonder at such an announcement, and laugh and weep not, and continue trifling (with the thought of it)? So in utmost humility, bow down before God and pray to Him. (Qur’an, 53:57-62)

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