RAMADAN 2005 The 6th Day

1483

18 February, 2018

Ayat of the Day

Those who believe and do right actions and perform prayer and give the alms, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and
will know no sorrow.
(Surat al-Baqara: 277)

Hadith of the Day:

Every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim, neither wronging him nor allowing him to be wronged. If anyone helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his own need. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Miracles of the Qur’an:

FORGIVENESS ACCORDING TO THE MORALS OF ISLAM AND ITS BENEFITS ON HEALTH

One of the moral traits recommended in the Qur'an is forgiveness:

Hold to forgiveness, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. (Surat al-A‘raf: 199)

Those who do not abide by the moral values of the Qur'an find it very difficult to forgive others. Because, they are easily angered by any error committed. However, Allah has advised the faithful that forgiveness is more proper:

The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah... (Surat ash-Shura: 40)

.... But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat at-Taghabun: 14)

It has also been revealed in the Qur'an that forgiveness is a superior moral trait: "But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow." (Surat ash-Shura: 43) For that reason, believers are forgiving, compassionate and tolerant people who, as revealed in the Qur'an, "control their rage and pardon other people." (Surah Al ‘Imran:134)

Believers' notion of forgiveness is very different to that of those who do not live by the morals of the Qur'an. Even though many people may say they have forgiven someone who has offended them, it nevertheless takes a long time to free themselves of the hatred and anger in their hearts. Their behavior tends to betray that anger. On the other hand, the forgiveness of believers is sincere. Because believers know that human beings are tried in this world, and learn by their mistakes, they are tolerant and compassionate. Moreover, believers are also capable of forgiveness even when they are in the right, and the other in the wrong. When forgiving, they make no distinction between large errors and small ones. Someone may cause severe losses to them by mistake. However, believers know that everything takes place under the command of Allah, and according to a specific destiny, and therefore, they surrender themselves to these developments, never acquiescing to anger.

According to recent research, American scientists established that those capable of forgiveness are healthier in both mind and body. Dr. Frederic Luskin, who holds a Ph.D. in Counselling and Health Psychology from Stanford University, and his team, studied 259 people living in the city of San Francisco. The scientists invited the subjects to attend six one-and-a-half-hour sessions, and aimed to instruct the subjects in forgiveness during their conversations.

The subjects of the experiments stated that they suffered less after forgiving people who had wronged them. The research showed that people who learned to forgive feel much better, not only emotionally but also physically. For example, it was established that after the experiment psychological and physical symptoms such as stress-related backache, insomnia and stomachaches were significantly reduced in these individuals.

In his book, Forgive for Good, Dr. Frederic Luskin describes forgiveness as a proven recipe for health and happiness. The book describes how forgiveness promotes such positive states of mind as hope, patience and self-confidence by reducing anger, suffering, depression and stress. According to Dr. Luskin, harbored anger causes observable physical effects in the individual. He goes on to say that:

The thing about long-term or unresolved anger, is we've seen it resets the internal thermostat. When you get used to a low level of anger all the time, you don't recognize what's normal. It creates a kind of adrenaline rush that people get used to. It burns out the body and makes it difficult to think clearly-making the situation worse.

All the available research shows that anger is a state of mind that seriously damages human health. Forgiveness, on the other hand, even if it comes hard to people, is pleasing, an aspect of superior morals, that eliminates all the harmful effects of anger, and helps the individual to enjoy a healthy life, both psychologically and physically. Forgiveness, of course, is one of a form of behavior by which a person can stay healthy, and a positive virtue everyone should live by. However, the true aim of forgiveness-as in all else-must be to please Allah. The fact that the features of this sort of morality, and that the benefits of which have been scientifically identified, have been revealed in many verses of the Qur'an, is just one of the many sources of wisdom it contains.

Wonders of Creation:

The Heart

The most important component of the circulatory system that connects the 100 trillions cells in the human body one by one, is, without doubt, the heart. With its four different chambers that pump deoxygenated and oxygenated blood to different parts of the body without mixing them with one another, and with its valves that function as safety valves, the heart’s design depends on highly delicate balances.

Our heart, which constantly beats throughout our lives at a certain pace although we do not intervene at all, is one of the clearest pieces of evidence of the creation.

Starting to beat in the mother’s womb, the heart works, without stopping at all during our entire lifetime, with a rhythm of 70-100 beats per minute. It rests only for half a second between each beat and it beats approximately 100,000 times a day. When a human’s life span is considered, we would come across a figure quite hard to calculate.

All the structures in the heart, which has an extremely delicate order in its operation, are specially designed. In the heart, every detail has been considered: the deoxygenated and oxygenated blood’s not mixing with one another, the regulation of body pressure, the operations required for the delivery of nutrients to the whole body, and the systems that pump blood only as much as needed. The heart is accordingly designed for all of the above.

In the heart, which is a wonder of design, exists a system so complex that it could not by any means have been formed by coincidence. All of these features present us their designer, that is, Allah, the Sustainer of all the worlds, Who creates flawlessly and without an example.

A few features of the heart can be listed:

The heart is placed in one of the most protected places in the body: By being placed in the rib-cage with a special design, the heart, one of the most important organs, is very well protected against external blows.

Deoxygenated and oxygenated bloods never mix: In the heart, deoxygenated and oxygenated bloods are in constant motion. A special tissue divides the heart into four chambers with different features. The upper part comprises the right and the left atria, which are filling chambers. They pass the blood to the ventricles below. Thanks to the delicate order here, the bloods never mix with each other.

It regulates the blood pressure in such a way that it does no harm to the organs: The heart works not like a single pump, but like two adjacent pumps, each of which has its own ventricle and atrium. This separation also divides our circulatory system into two. The right side of the heart sends blood with a relatively lower pressure to the lungs and the left side pumps blood with a higher pressure to the whole body. This pressure regulation is very important, because if the blood sent to the lungs were pumped with the same pressure as the blood sent out around the body, the lungs would be crushed, being unable to stand this pressure. The perfect balance in the heart does not permit such a problem to occur in the lungs, because the heart is flawlessly designed.

It provides for the transportation of many needed materials to the organs: Clean blood coming from the heart is transmitted to the tissues by the aorta and oxygen is carried to the tissues by the vessels that reach all the cells. During its circulation in the capillaries, blood distributes substances other than oxygen such as hormones, food and other kind of nutrients to the tissues.

It has valves arranging the direction of bloodstream and working in perfect harmony: In the heart, there are valves in the mouth of each chamber that prevent the blood from flowing in the reverse direction. These valves between the atria and ventricles are made of fibrous tissues and held by very thin muscles. Since excess blood would leak towards the atriums if one of these muscles stopped functioning, then serious heart disease would occur that would cause even death. We come across with such a condition only in cases of disease. A contrary condition never occurs.

It functions away from our control, yet, exactly as it should: The amount of blood to be pumped by the heart is controlled by a special nervous system. Whether we are asleep or awake, our nervous system by itself regulates the amount of blood to be pumped and the speed of pumping. The structure of the heart - that regulates without any intervention as to where, when and how blood is needed - is flawless. Since the heart could not have formed this system on its own, or this perfect system could not have formed by coincidence, the heart is created. Allah, Who has infinite knowledge, designed it in the most flawless manner possible.

As seen in all of its features, the structure of the heart shows us its flawless design, that is, its "being created", and it thus presents us its Designer. It presents us Allah, the Sustainer of all the worlds, Who is not seen, yet presents Himself to us in everything He has created:

That is Allah, your Lord. There is no deity but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is Responsible for everything. (Surat al-An‘am: 102)

Lives of the Prophets:

Prophet Abraham’s (as) Conversations with His Father -II

Remember when Abraham said to his father, Azar: “Do you take idols as deities? I see that you and your tribe are clearly misguided.” (Surat al-An‘am: 74)

Remember when he [Abraham] said to his father: “Father, why do you worship that which can neither hear nor see, and is of no use to you at all? Father, knowledge that never reached you has come to me. So follow me, and I will guide you to the right path.” (Surah Maryam: 42-43)

One of the most important elements of this conversation, which should be taken as a model, is that no matter how arrogant and difficult an unbeliever may be, a believer must remain patient while relaying the message and behave in the most pleasant manner possible.

Prophet Abraham’s (as) approach here is exactly the same as that of Prophet Moses (as) toward Pharaoh. Prophet Moses (as) also employed a temperate and gentle style when relaying Allah’s message to Pharaoh, in compliance with Allah’s command to “speak to him with gentle words so that, hopefully, he will pay heed or show some fear” (Surah Ta-Ha:44).

Allah reveals the message that Prophet Abraham (as) gave to his father, as well as his father’s reaction:

[Abraham said:] “O my father, do not worship Satan. Satan was disobedient to the All-Merciful. Father, I am afraid that a punishment from the All-Merciful will afflict you, and turn you into a comrade of Satan.” He [his father] replied: “Do you forsake my deities, Abraham? If you do not stop, I will stone you. Keep away from me for a good long time.” He [Abraham] said: “Peace be upon you. I will ask my Lord to forgive you. He has always honored me. I will separate myself from you and all that you call upon besides Allah, and I will call upon my Lord. It may well be that, in calling upon my Lord, I will not be disappointed.” (Surah Maryam: 44-46)

These conversations contain important wisdom. First and foremost, Prophet Abraham’s (as) courageous and humble attitude is most striking. He carried out Allah’s order, even at the risk of his own life, and invited his father to the true path. He risked losing his father’s love, help, and goods; refused to be intimidated by his father’s threats, and displayed the greatest humility and patience when told to leave.

Knowing that Allah would help him and show him the right path, he behaved according to the comfort and security that such knowledge imparted. The way that he immediately prayed to Allah after being unjustly forced to leave the house in which he lived, and his faith that his prayer would be heard demonstrate the exemplary modesty and purity required of a Muslim. Moreover, he displayed a most pleasing moral attitude toward his father, who was quite hostile. He maintained his moderate style and continued to call him my father. All Muslims should adopt this example of a very superior morality when calling people to the truth.

He approached his father with great affection and modesty, and humbly invited him to the true path. When his father persisted in his denial, Prophet Abraham (as) immediately sought refuge in Allah and removed himself. This attitude shows that Muslims are to work only for Allah’s good pleasure, and to love what He loves and hate what He hates. Allah reveals this quality, which every Muslim should possess, thus:

It is not right for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the idolater—even if they are close relatives—after it has become clear to them that they are the Companions of the Blazing Fire. Abraham would not have asked forgiveness for his father but for a promise he made to him. And when it became clear to him [Abraham] that he [his father] was an enemy of Allah, he renounced him. Abraham was tender-hearted and forbearing. (Surat at-Tawba: 113-14)

Another noteworthy feature of this conversation between Prophet Abraham (as) and his father is the latter’s devotion to paganism. So strong was his devotion that it led him to threaten his son with death by stoning, a son who was of his own blood, whom he had raised and kept by his side, and who treated his father so respectfully. The only reason for his father’s wrath was that Prophet Abraham (as) worshipped only Allah and rejected his tribe’s paganism. This is an example of the unbelievers’ cruel, uncompromising, and oppressive natures.

Evolution Deceit:

THE INVALIDITY OF PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM - II

The Misconception About Restricted Populations

The second concept stressed by the proponents of punctuated equilibrium theory is that of "restricted populations." By this, they mean that the emergence of new species comes about in communities containing very small numbers of plants or animals. According to this claim, large populations of animals show no evolutionary development and maintain their "stasis." But small groups sometimes become separated from these communities, and these "isolated" groups mate only amongst themselves. (It is hypothesized that this usually stems from geographical conditions.) Macromutations are supposed to be most effective within such small, inbreeding groups, and that is how rapid "speciation" can take place.

But why do proponents of the punctuated equilibrium theory insist so much on the concept of restricted populations? The reason is clear: Their aim is to provide an explanation for the absence of intermediate forms in the fossil record.

However, scientific experiments and observations carried out in recent years have revealed that being in a restricted population is not an advantage from the genetic point of view, but rather a disadvantage. Far from developing in such a way as to give rise to new species, small populations give rise to serious genetic defects. The reason for this is that in restricted populations individuals must continually mate within a narrow genetic pool. For this reason, normally heterozygous individuals become increasingly homozygous. This means that defective genes which are normally recessive become dominant, with the result that genetic defects and sickness increase within the population.1

In order to examine this matter, a 35-year study of a small, inbred population of chickens was carried out. It was found that the individual chickens became progressively weaker from the genetic point of view over time. Their egg production fell from 100 to 80 percent of individuals, and their fertility declined from 93 to 74 percent. But when chickens from other regions were added to the population, this trend toward genetic weakening was halted and even reversed. With the infusion of new genes from outside the restricted group, eventually the indicators of the health of the population returned to normal.2

This and similar discoveries have clearly revealed that the claim by the proponents of punctuated equilibrium theory that small populations are the source of evolution has no scientific validity.

Conclusion

Scientific discoveries do not support the claims of the punctuated equilibrium theory of evolution. The claim that organisms in small populations can swiftly evolve with macromutations is actually even less valid than the deception of evolution proposed by the mainstream neo-Darwinists.

So, why has this theory become so popular in recent years? This question can be answered by looking at the debates within the Darwinist community. Almost all the proponents of the punctuated equilibrium theory of evolution are paleontologists. This group, led by such famous paleontologists as Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, and Steven M. Stanley, clearly sees that the fossil record disproves the Darwinist theory. However, they have conditioned themselves to believe in evolution, no matter what. So for this reason they have resorted to the punctuated equilibrium theory as the only way of accounting even in part for the facts of the fossil record.

On the other hand, geneticists, zoologists, and anatomists see that there is no mechanism in nature which can give rise to any "punctuations," and for this reason they insist on defending the gradualistic Darwinist model of evolution. The Oxford University zoologist Richard Dawkins fiercely criticizes the proponents of the punctuated equilibrium model of evolution, and accuses them of "destroying the theory of evolution's credibility."

The result of this dialogue of the deaf is the scientific crisis the theory of evolution now faces. We are dealing with an evolution myth which agrees with no experiments or observations, and no paleontological discoveries. Every evolutionist theoretician tries to find support for the theory from his own field of expertise, but then enters into conflict with discoveries from other branches of science. Some people try to gloss over this confusion with superficial comments such as "science progresses by means of academic disputes of this kind." However, the problem is not that the mental gymnastics in these debates are being carried out in order to discover a correct scientific theory; rather, the problem is that speculations are being advanced dogmatically and irrationally in order to stubbornly defend a theory that is demonstrably false.

However, the theoreticians of punctuated equilibrium have made one important, albeit unwitting, contribution to science: They have clearly shown that the fossil record conflicts with the concept of evolution. Phillip Johnson, one of the world's foremost critics of the theory of evolution, has described Stephen Jay Gould, one of the most important punctuated equilibrium theoreticians, as "the Gorbachev of Darwinism."3 Gorbachev thought that there were defects in the Communist state system of the Soviet Union and tried to "reform" that system. However, the problems which he thought were defects were in fact fundamental to the nature of the system itself. That is why Communism melted away in his hands.

The same fate will soon await Darwinism and the other models of evolution.

1. M. E. Soulé and L. S. Mills, "Enhanced: No need to isolate genetics," Science, 1998, vol. 282, p. 1658.
2. R. L. Westemeier, J. D. Brawn, J. D. Brawn, S. A. Simpson, T. L. Esker, R. W. Jansen, J. W. Walk, E. L. Kershner, J. L. Bouzat, and K. N. Paige, "Tracking the long-term decline and recovery of an isolated population", Science, 1998, vol. 282, p. 1695.
3. Phillip Johnson, Objections Sustained, Intervarsity Press, Illinois, 1998, pp. 77-85.

Quick Grasp of Faith:

Is being sentimental approved of in the Qur'an?

Being sentimental is not approved of in the Qur'an, although being a man of "wisdom" is essential. Allah bestows intelligence and understanding upon those who heed Him. Believers who possess wisdom consider all events within the framework of absolute truths specified in the Qur'an. They make appropriate decisions acting in the light of their reason and conscience, thereby easily resolving all matters, whereas sentimentality plays a significant role in confounding one's understanding. If one approaches events emotionally instead of using reason, the ability to discriminate between right and wrong becomes impaired. One's decision-making and judgments can no longer be relied upon to be impartial or just. Since one attributes importance to what other people think, one cannot make quick and appropriate decisions. Evaluations made in an emotional state would be based on personal value judgments instead of the criteria of the Qur'an.

Book Review:

SEEING GOOD IN ALL

"…It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know." (Surat al-Baqara: 216)

Allah creates every word one utters, every detail one encounters, every event one experiences, from the moment one is born into this world. Whenever someone who believes in Allah comes up against an incident that seems to be a problem, he knows that it is actually the best thing for him. In the 216th verse of Surat al-Baqara, Allah says: "...It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know". For a believer who understands this fact, uninterrupted joy of faith becomes an unchanging quality of life. The fate decreed by Allah is flawless. In this entity made up of millions of events, there is only goodness, benevolence, and wisdom for everyone who looks at them with an eye for goodness...>>

Site of the Day:

www.miraclesofthequran.com

The unprecedented style and the superior wisdom inherent in the Qur'an is conclusive evidence confirming that it is the Word of Allah. Apart from this, there are a number of miracles verifying its Divine nature, one of them being that, 1,400 years ago, it declared a number of scientific facts that have only been established thanks to the technological breakthroughs of the 20th century. In this site, in addition to the scientific miracles of the Qur'an, you will also find messages regarding history and mathematics.

solidarity

The Day After Tomorrow

WORKS

CATEGORIES

RAMADAN 2005 The 6th Day

Prophet Abraham’s (as) Conversations with His Father -II

THE INVALIDITY OF PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM - II

The Misconception About Restricted Populations

"…It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know." (Surat al-Baqara: 216)