The invention of television

Television transmissions take place by electromagnetic waves travelling at the speed of light reaching our homes. Television waves are so fast that live transmissions from many kilometers away can be made almost instantaneously. Surat an-Naml of the Qur’an describes how the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had the throne of a queen in a far-distant country brought to him instantaneously in a miraculous manner, in a manner reminiscent of the above technology:

He who possessed knowledge of the Book said, ‘I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.’ And when he saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said, ‘This is part of my Lord's favor to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude... (Surat an-Naml, 40)

This verse immediately puts one in mind of teleportation or image transmission (television). Some letters in Surat an-Naml in which this phenomenon is described come together in a mysterious manner to comprise the word “television.”

The letters that constitute the word television appear side by side, from left to right, in verse 17 of Surat an-Naml, which refers to the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). The word television is written and pronounced in more or less the same way in Turkish, English, Arabic and other languages.

Looking at the sequence of letters here and the passages cited, we see a miracle that cannot possibly be explained in terms of chance. At the same time, each one of these instances is a sign for those who study the Qur’an that still grater mysteries may lie concealed within it.

In one verse, our Almighty Lord says this of the Holy Qur’an:

If all the trees on earth were pens and all the sea, with seven more seas besides, was ink Allah’s words still would not run dry. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surah Luqman, 27)