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Embryology

Embryology

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: “So ask the people of the message if you do not know.” 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 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... in the section about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in 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 “then from a clinging clot” (‘alaqah) [Ghafir 40:67] - 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.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

Ask Those Who Have Knowledge

Ask Those Who Have Knowledge

Another interesting attitude that exists in the Quran repeatedly deals with its advice to the reader. The Quran informs the 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 of 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

Scientific Approach to the Quran

Scientific Approach to the Quran

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 authenticI 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 it authenticity and “prove it wrong” occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was very surprised when I first discovered this challenge. It states (Surah An-Nisa, 4:82):“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction..”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

Prophet Muhammad () and the Quran

Prophet Muhammad () and the Quran

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 underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammad’s 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 () had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was very dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death but died 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 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 (r) 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 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 companion and wife, 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 life. Indeed, if the Quran was a product of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout

The Smallest Thing

The Smallest Thing

Many centuries before the onset of Muhammad’s 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 dharrah 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 (Surah Saba’, 34:3) which states:“[ Allah is] the Knower of the unseen." Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register .”Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is proof, that the Quran is not outdated

Merchant Marine

Merchant Marine

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 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. The description of “within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others.” (Surah Nur, 24:40) …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 certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago

Diez modales del ayunante

Diez modales del ayunante

Etiquetas del ayuno: 1. La sinceridad.2. El suhur (comida antes de iniciar el ayuno)3. Se recomienda que el ayunante haga mucho dhiker, buenas acciones y oraciones voluntarias.4. El ayunante no debe perder el tiempo, no debe mentir ni difamar.5. No hay que enojarse ni insultar ni decir groserías.6. Cumplir con las oraciones en sus tiempos establecidos.7. Que rompa su ayuno haciendo dhiker y du’a.8. Apresurarse a desayunar una vez llegue el momento de hacerlo.9. Que siga la Sunna rompiendo el ayuno con rutab, con dátiles o con agua, según las posibilidades.10.  Se recomienda usar mucho el siwak.

Al-lah inició la revelación del Corán en el mes de Ramadán

Al-lah inició la revelación del Corán en el mes de Ramadán

{El mes de Ramadán (es el mes) en que descendió el Corán como guía para los hombres con pruebas claras para guiarlos y hacerles discernir entre la verdad y la falsedad. Aquellos de ustedes que presencien el mes (y no estén de viaje) deben ayunarlo; y quien esté enfermo o de viaje (y no ayune) que compense los días no ayunados más tarde. Al-lah quiere hacérselo fácil y no difícil, pero quiere que completen los días de ayuno y que (al finalizar el mes de Ramadán) proclamen la grandeza de Al-lah por haberlos guiado, y para que puedan ser agradecidos.} [Corán 2:185]

¿Por qué el musulmán ama el mes de Ramadán?

¿Por qué el musulmán ama el mes de Ramadán?

El mes de Ramadán no es un mes como los demás. En él se inició la revelación del Corán. Las obras que se realizan en sus días y noches reciben recompensas multiplicadas. Es el mes del ayuno, de la oración, de la caridad y del fortalecimiento de los lazos familiares. En él se cumple la voluntad divina. Todo esto debe generar en el musulmán amor por este mes y el ánimo para que aproveche la oportunidad de rectificar el comportamiento y librarse de toda mala costumbre.

Aléjense de los embriagantes

Aléjense de los embriagantes

{¡Oh, creyentes!, las bebidas alcohólicas, los juegos de azar, los altares donde se sacrifican ofrendas a falsas divinidades y vaticinar el futuro o la suerte mediante flechas (práctica que se hacía antes del Islam) son una abominación y obra del Demonio; así que aléjense de todo ello para que puedan triunfar y prosperar.}[Corán 5:90]

La ética de pedir permiso

La ética de pedir permiso

{¡Oh, creyentes!, no entren en ninguna casa que no sea la suya sin antes haber pedido permiso y haber saludado a quienes viven en ella. Eso es mejor para ustedes para que así reflexionen (sobre los mandatos de su Señor y Lo obedezcan).}[Corán 24:27]

Cooperen en obrar el bien

Cooperen en obrar el bien

{Ayúdense los unos a los otros para alcanzar la piedad y el temor de Al-lah, mas no se ayuden en el pecado y en la transgresión. Y teman a Al-lah. Ciertamente, Al-lah es severo en el castigo.} [Corán 5:2]

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