In the last chapter we have seen some “Basic verses.” Now we try to go one step further. In a society there is a class of people who are educated and intelligent. Allah has granted them mental levels more than common people. Allah addresses these people as the ones who are wise, who understand, who give thought as so on. I have named these people “Special people.” These people are addressed in many places in the Quran. At these places Allah tells them about the various elements in Nature like the heavens and earth, night and day, clouds and winds, seeds and plants, starts, land, see, the bee and so on. Allah says that they should gratefully search for and recognize the many signs of Allah in these elements of Nature. What does this mean? I think it means that we should study and probe deep into these things. We should try to understand their working principles. Once we have understood them we will appreciate the miracles of Allah. The deeper we go in the study of nature, better will be our appreciation for the miracles and forces of Allah. Our faith will become stronger. Allah has already given these “Special people” the mental capability to do such a job.
Now let us:
- Collect these verses of signs.
- Analyze them and
- Then arrive at a conclusion.
The collection of some verses of signs:
- 2:164: Behold in the creation of the heavens and the earth, in the alternation of the Night and Day in the sailing of the ships through the Ocean for the profit of mankind, in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth. In the change of the winds and the clouds which they trail like their slaves, between the sky and the earth, (Here) indeed are signs for a people that are Wise.
- 2:190: Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of Night and Day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.
- 6:95, 96,97,98: -It is Allah who causes the seed grain and the date stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the truth? -He it is that divides by forces the daybreak (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquility, and the sun and moon for the calculation (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of the Exalted in power, the Omniscient. -It is He who makes the starts (as beacons) for you, that you may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea. We detail our signs for people who know. -It is He who produced you from a single soul, then there is a resting place and a repository. We detail our signs for people who understand.
- 6:99: It is He who sends down rain from the skies, with it We produce vegetable of all kinds, from some we produce green (crops), out of which We produce close – compounded grain, out of date palm and its sheaths (come) cluster of dates hanging low and near. And (then there are) gardens of grape, and olives, and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety), when they begin to bear fruit, feast your eyes with the fruit and their ripeness. Behold! In these things there are Signs for people who believe.
- 13: 2, 3, 4 -Allah is He who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see then He established Himself on the Throne. He has subjected the sun and the moon! Each one runs (its course) for a term appointed. He does regulate all affairs, explaining the Signs in detail so that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. -And it is He who spread out the earth, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and (flowing) rivers, and fruit of every kind He made in pairs, two and two. He draws the night as a veil over the day. Behold, truly in these things are Signs for those who consider. -And in the earth are tracts (diverse though) neighboring, and gardens of vines and fields sown with corn, and palm trees growing out of single roots or otherwise, watered with the same water, yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Behold, truly in these things there are Signs for those who understand.
- 16: 10,11,12, 13 -It is He who sends down rain from the sky. From it you drink and out of it (grows) the vegetation on which you feed your cattle. -With it He produces for you corn, olives, date palm, grapes, and every kind of fruit. Truly in this is a Sign for those who give thought. -He has made subject to you the Night and the Day, the sun and the moon, and the starts are subject to his command, truly in this are Signs for men who are wise. -And the things on this earth that He has multiplied in varying colors (and qualities). Truly in this is a sign for men who are mindful.
- 16:65,66,67,68,69 -And Allah sends down rain from the skies and gives therewith life to the earth after its death. Truly in this are signs for those who listen. -And truly in cattle (too) will you find an instructive sign. From what is between their bodies, between excretion and blood, we produce, for your drink milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. -And from the fruit of the date palm and the vine, you get out a strong drink, and wholesome food, behold, and in this also are a sign for those who are wise. -And your Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in habitations. -Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and follow the ways of your Lord made smooth. Their issues from their bodies a drink of varying colors where in is healing for men. Truly in this is a Sign for those who give thought.
- 16:79: Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Truly in this are signs for those who believe.
- 24:43 -Do you not see that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? Then you see rain issuing from within it. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail. He strikes with it whom He pleases and he turns it away from whom he pleases. The vivid flash of its lightening almost blinds the sight. -It is Allah who alternates the night and the day. Truly in this is an instructive example for those who have vision. -And Allah has created every animal from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four, Allah creates what He wills, for truly Allah has power over all things. -We have indeed sent down signs that make things clear, and Allah guides whom He wills to a way that is straight.
- 30:20 -Among His Signs is this that He created you from dust, and then behold, you are men scattered (far and wide)! -And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them. And He has put love and mercy between your (Hearts). Truly in that are signs for those who reflect. -And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variations in your languages and your colours, truly in that are signs for whose who know. -And among His Signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and the quest that you (make for livelihood) out of His bounty, truly in that are signs for those who listen with attention. -And among His Signs He shows you lightening, by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives like to the earth after it is dead. Truly in that are signs for those who are wise.
- 31: 31: Do you not see that the ships sail through the ocean by the grace of Allah? That He may show you of His Signs? Truly in this are signs for all who constantly persevere and give thanks.
- 42: 32, 33 -And among His Signs are the ships, smooth running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. -If it be His will, He can still the wind then they would become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Truly in this are signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful.
- 45: 3, 4, 5 -Truly in the heavens and the earth are signs for those who believe. -And in the creation of yourself and the fact that animals are scattered (throughout the earth) are Signs for those of assured faith. -And in the alternation of the night and day and the fact that Allah sends down sustenance from the sky and revives with it the earth after its death, and in the change of the winds, are signs for those that are wise.
- 45: 12, 13 -It is Allah who has subjected the sea to you that ships may sail through it by his command, that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may be grateful. -And He has subjected to you as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on the earth, behold, in that are signs indeed for those who reflect.
- 51:20 -On the earth are signs for those of assured faith. -And also in your own selves, will you not then see?
- 10:5: It is He who made the sun to be shinning glory and the moon to be in light (of beauty), and measured our stages for her, that you might know the number of years and the count of (time). In no way did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) does He explain His signs in detail, for those who understand.
Analyzing the verses:
If we look at these verses once more we notice two points of similarity:
All of these verses are addressed to a certain class of people who according to the Quran have the following qualities:
a. People that are wise
b. People who know
c. People who understand
d. People who believe.
e. Those who consider
f. Those who give thought
g. Men who are mindful
h. Those who have vision
i. Those who reflect
j. Those who listen with attention
k. Those who patiently persevere
l. Those who are grateful
m. Those of assured faith.
All of them talk about the “Signs” or proofs of Allah.
Conclusion:
The Quran says that to find the proof of Allah we should look for his signs in Nature. Its different forms are mentioned in these verses. These verses prompt the human mind to look deeper into the human body as well as nature. This job is assigned to “Special people” as is explained in the introduction to this chapter. When an intellectual Muslim reads these verses with the faith that it is from Allah, does it not prompt him to probe deeper into these acts of Nature, like the :
· How were the heavens and the earth created?
· What causes the alternation of the Night and day?
· How can the ships sail through the Ocean?
· How Allah sends down the rain from the skies?
· How rain or water gives life to death earth?
· How the seed grain and the date stone split and sprout to form a tree?
· How the change of the winds and the clouds from rain?
· How the sun and moon can be used for the calculation (of time)?
· How the starts (as beacons) can become guides during travel on land and sea?
· How the sun and the moon runs (its course) in orbits in the space?
· How a palm trees grow out of single roots or otherwise, watered with the same water, yet some of them taste differently than others?
· How cattle from their bodies produce milk which is so pure and tasty, and is so near to dirty excretion and blood of the body?
· How the bee makes beehives and produces honey?
· How the birds fly? · How Allah alternates night and day?
· How Allah has created animals from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four.
And so on. It is actually this thought and this Prompting by the Quran which gave birth to the modern scientific thinking. The contribution of Muslims (Arabs) to the modern scientific thought is that they introduced the concept of “Experimentation and Observation” to it. They were prompted to do this by the Quran itself. This is very clear from the verses of the Signs as mentioned above. This later gave birth to branches of science like Botany, Anatomy, Zoology, Astronomy, Mathematics (Algebra), Shipping and Navigation and so on. Muslims later on became masters of all these fields. So an educated, intellectual and a true Muslim should according to the Quran be a “Scientist” always eager to unearth the secrets of nature. This thought process led Muslims to great heights in science, technology and other fields. Some of the greatest Muslim Scientists were Al Kindi (800-873 C.E) , Ibn Sina (980-1037 C.E.) ,Omar Khayyam (1044-1123 C.E.) , Ibn Rushd(1128 – 1198 C.E). More details about their contributions are given in the Appendix.
