From the Depths of the Universe to the DNA Molecule

Too small to be seen with the naked eye, DNA serves as the data bank of our cells. Information about all the living things around you is concealed within this miniaturized data bank inside every cell of every organism. All the structural characteristics of a rose, an orange, a sparrow, a tiger or a human being are present in the nuclei of the cells that comprise these organisms. Look at your hand that is holding this book. These data stores exist in the nucleus of every single one of the cells that compose that hand.

Every day, new discoveries are being made about the universe we inhabit. Billions of galaxies lie hundreds of thousands of light years away from one another. Millions of stars that fill those galaxies, whose dimensions defy our powers of conception. Giant planets constantly revolve in a complex order at speeds of thousands of kilometers without ever colliding with one another. Here, on one of the smaller of these planets, we examine the cells, the building blocks of life on Earth, themselves no bigger than a mere speck, under the electron microscope, an invention of the 20th century.

Each of the conditions that makes this planet suitable for life is indispensable to it. The Earth's environment exists and persists by the mercy of Allah.

Albert Einstein, one of the 20th century's most eminent scientists, expressed man's difficulty in comprehending the order in the universe in these terms:

The human mind is not capable of grasping the Universe. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books, but doesn't know what it is. 1

Human beings have been equipped with all the systems they need within this extraordinary environment. The more details that we learn about the body, the more we realize how miraculous our lives are. As they discover the systems concealed inside their bodies, many people--who would otherwise live without reflection, caught up in the daily course of their lives--will reflect on the purpose behind their existence and become aware of their responsibilities to Allah, their Creator. Indeed, various scientists have acquired faith in the existence of Allah by seeing the greatness of His knowledge and the perfections He has created. But some of them continue to refuse to see that they live in need of Allah, even though their consciences may tell them otherwise. Yet their refusal to admit the truth will not alter the facts. Allah reveals some people's approach in the Qur'an:

Do not mix up truth with falsehood and knowingly hide the truth. (Surat al-Baqara, 42)

O Humanity! You are the poor in need of Allah whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surah Fatir, 15)

A Journey from Space to Subatomic Particles

Human beings occupy not even a single dot in all the vastness of the universe. The pictures below will help provide a better understanding of this. Allah has created a perfect system, extending from space right down to subatomic particles. The most delicate calculations apply in both giant galaxies and in the microscopic cell. Our Lord, Who brought all things in the universe into being with a flawless creation, manifests His artistry in the most perfect form in our bodies, in atoms and in the stars. Our responsibility is to give thanks to our Lord, Who created such an ideal universe for life. Bearing in mind that the Milky Way, whichfrom a distance of 10 million light years–resembles just a tiny dot,is just one of the millions of galaxies in the universe, you can better understanding the sheer scale of Allah's creative artistry. Are you stronger in structure or is heaven? He built it. (Surat an-Nazi'at, 27) he Milky Way, as seen from some 100,000 light years away. Containing the Sun, the Earth and the Moon, as well as at least 100 billion stars, it is one of the largest galaxies in the universe He has made night and day subservient to you, and the sun and moon and stars, all subject to His command. There are certainly Signs in that for peoplewho use their intellect. (Surat an-Nahl, 12) Allah has revealed in the Qur'an as follows: And I swear by the falling of the stars–and that is a mighty oath, if you only knew.(Surat al-Waqi'a, 75-76)

A: 1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter 1 picometer = 1 trillionth of a meter 1 femtometer = 10-15 meter = 0.000000000000001 of a meter 1 attometer = 10-18 meter = 0.000000000000000001 of a meter Those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the Earth: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be toYou! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire." (Surah Al 'Imran, 191) DNA in the cell nucleus contains all the information regarding the body. There is enough information in one human DNA molecule to fill a million pages of an encyclopedia. Chromatin exists in the form of minute strands inside the DNA. Because of their minute size, these are invisible even under the microscope. However, chromatin expands during cell division and turns into thicker strands, which can be seen under the microscope. As these illustrations show, in whichever systems or structures that surround us, from the largest to the very smallest, we are still viewing a great miracle. The important thing is to be aware of these miracles because no matter how great a manifest miracle may be, believers alone achieve an awareness of Allah's greatness.