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WHAT
IS ISLAM? Part 1
Nahl, Verse 50, their duty and style of life is: Whatsoever they are ordered, they continuously keep on working strictly in accordance with it. Wonders of the Heavenly Bodies How do the bodies in the universe function in accordance with the Laws of Allah? Leave this question aside. There are other questions too that demand our attention. Have we ever thought of the magnitude of the heavenly bodies, which the Quran calls "Samawaat"? What a wonderful natural phenomenon do these bodies bring forth? Think over these two questions. The communication means of the day have made it clear that our earth is a huge planet. It is always in motion around its axis as well as its orbit. But a few of us will be knowing that out of the so many planets moving in the unbounded heights of the universe, our earth is no bigger than the size of a grain of sand in the desert. This is no poetry. It is a reality. Our sun, which looks no bigger than the size of a plate, is at a distance of 9,29,00,000 miles from us. Its diameter is 109 times of our earth. In other words we can say that it can accommodate thirteen hundred thousand lands like the size of our earth. But, compared to the other heavenly bodies, this huge planet, our sun, is no more than a drop of water in the sea. Now look at the twinkling stars in the sky. The nearest star to our earth is as far away as is the product of the distance of the sun from the earth multiplied by two lakh and seventy thousand. This is the distance of the nearest star of our earth in miles. The distances of the heavenly bodies are measured in "light years", not in miles as we measure our roads. Now think over the "light years". Light covers the distance of 1,86,000 miles in a second. With this speed of light in mind, just imagine how much distance it would cover in one year. There are stars the light of which reaches us in 1,85,000 years. Imagine once again that the light from these stars, traveling with the speed of 1,86,000 miles in one second, will reach us in 1,85,000 years. Anyhow, this is the example of the distance of the stars that are far away. The galaxy of our earth is a constellation of stars. The light of its nearest star takes 18,400 "light years" to reach us. Now the other question is: 'How many stars are there in the sky?' If we start counting one thousand and five hundred stars in one second, it will take us seven hundred years to count these stars. And ours is not the only world. There are numerous worlds ahead of the stars. The "world" is known as "Nebula". The farthest "Nebula" that our telescope could find so far is at a distance of two fifty million "light years" from us. In other words we can say that the light travelling with the speed of 1,86,000 mile per second can reach us in two fifty million years. Just imagine the magnitude of the distance. Have you imagined the magnitude of the "Samawaat", the heavenly bodies? These "Samawaat", are the heavenly bodies, where everything is functioning strictly in accordance with the Laws of Allah. And no one is empowered to cross the boundary walls prescribed for them -not even of the difference of one thousandth of an inch. There is also no room for making a difference of ten millionth of a second in their speed. Gravitational Pull All these planets, the heavenly spheres, are hanging in the space of the universe. In other words, these are tied with such pillars, which the Quran calls "invisible". In this regard, in Surah Al-Ra'ad, Verse 2, the Quran says: Allah is He who has raised the heavenly spheres aloft without any visible pillars. These "invisible pillars" are the Gravitational Pull, which is supporting each one of these planets. You have just imagined the depth of the space and the number of the planets in the sky. You have also seen how much the distance is among these planets. And you have also found that Gravitational Force of these planets is supporting one another. Now estimate the all-embracing nature of this Gravitational Pull from what Sir James Genes says. He says if we move even one of our fingers, it effects each one of the planets. The scientists say that the base of all the data about weight, volume, distance etc. of the planets is this amazing law of Gravitational Force. This law is so firm that had there been an unobservable difference in the ratio of Gravitational Pull of any star or planet, the entire system of the universe would have been lain in a state of a mess. This is but a light glimpse of the wonderful greatness and the amazing broadness of the huge planets moving in the universe. Now have a look at the atoms. Take the example of one drop of water. There are tens of thousands of molecules in a single drop of water. Every molecule contains one atom of Oxygen and two atoms of Hydrogen. The diameter of one atom of Hydrogen is one hundred millionth of a centimeter. Now look at the smallness of this atom and then gloss over its greatness. Like the solar system, the atom of water has its own system. There is one nucleus with one electron that revolves around it. This electron equals one hundred thousandth of a molecule. Revolving round its orbit, it completes seven billion revolutions within ten hundred thousandth of a second. And this revolution takes place according to an unalterable law. This is but the slightest glimpse of the depths and the heights of the universe. This is Cosmic Islam The Quran has described this wonderful system of the universe in ONE word: ISLAM. It has called it DEEN ALLAH. In Sura Aal-e-Imran, verse 82, the Quran holds: Do these people desire to follow a system of life other than Deen Allah, the System of Allah? The state of the fact is that they can see that everything in the universe submits to Allah's Laws by choice or by compulsion and follows the way, which leads to the goal set for each one by Allah! In other words it means the system of life Allah has prescribed. It is called DEEN ALLAH. Every body in the universe submits to this DEEN alone. Submitting to this system of life is the name of Islam. This is the only style of life that can lead to the true and genuine goal of life. That is why, the Quran, in the same Sura, in its verse 84, says: Whosoever adopts a system of life other than this -AL-Islam -that system can never be acceptable and at the end he would be the loser. Conquering the Universe It is evident that the DEEN (System of life) of everything in the universe is Islam. Everything is following the Laws of Allah. This following is a mean to an end, which Allah has prescribed for it. The trial and endeavour of each and everything is for the accomplishment of Allah's prescribed program. In this regard, the Quran, in Sura Al-Baqara, in verse 116, says: All that is there in the heavens and the earth is busy for the accomplishment of Allah's prescribed program. And each one therein has preserved and dedicated their potentialities for this purpose. The Quran's word "Qaanetoon" in this verse is the most meaningful word. In Arabic Language "Saqaa'a Taneetun" is the small water-skin, which does not even let a drop of water go waste and keeps it preserved and safe for its adequate and proper use. Now apply this concept. Everything in the universe enjoys unbounded energy by instinct. Take the example of solar energy. It is a reservoir of heat and energy both. It does never let its energy go waste for any purpose other than what has been prescribed for it. This is "Qaanetoon". A duty has been assigned to it. And it is busy in carrying out its duty all the daylong. This process in Arabic Language is called "Tasbeeh". In this regard, the Quran, in Surah Al-Hadeed, Verse 1, says: Whatsoever is there in the depths and the heights of the universe is intensely and speedily busy for the accomplishment of the System of Allah who is all-powerful and the proprietor of the best designs. It is this thread of the Divine System with which He has embedded everything of the universe. No one deviates even a little bit from the style He has prescribed for it. The sole purpose of this thread is that the man may take work from them. In this regard the Quran, in Surah Al-Jaasia, Verse 13 says: And He has of service to you whatsoever is there in the heavens and whatsoever is there in the earth; it is all from Him. Lo! Herein verily are portents for people who reflect. This view -that the man may take work from everything of the universe -is expressed simply and tersely in Surah Ibrahim, Verse 32-33 of the Quran: Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth; He causes the clouds to rain, thereby produces fruits as food for you, and makes the ships -within the bounds of the Law -to be of service to you, -the ships that run upon the sea according to His Law. And He has made of service to you the rivers within the boundary walls of Law. Not only ships and the rivers but also He has made the sun and the moon -within the bounds of Law -constant in their courses, to be of service to you according to His Law. And likewise He has made the night and the day for service to you under the boundary walls of a System. This makes it clear that the man has to discover these bounds of Allah's Laws. This will be the conquering of the forces of nature. Revelation in the Universe The laws under which the physical objects of the universe have to operate have instinctively been given to them. These are called Laws of Nature. It is the Divine Revelation that has been given to each one directly. In this regard the Quran, in Surah Haameem Al-Sajda, Verse 12, says: He inspired in each heaven its mandate. And the likewise is in the earth. In this connection, the Quran in Surah Azz-Zalzaal, Verse 5), says: Your Nourisher inspired in her i.e., the earth. This is the very revelation with which everything of the universe is familiar of its own system and the operational mode. In other words everything, in fact, receives from Allah all the guidance, which it needs. The Allah's directive force is operative in the universe. The regularity with which physical objects move reveals the guiding hand of Allah. This directive force is at work in everything. In this regard, the Quran, in Surah Al-Noor, Verse 41, says: Everything knows it too that 'what its duties are', and also that 'for performing these duties what its spheres of actions are'. Allah has termed it as His Directive Force or Guidance. It is operative in the universe. This concept becomes clear when we study the Quran in Surah Taahaa, Verse 50, where Pharaoh asked Moses (AS): "Who is your Rabb?" He said: Our Nourisher is He who has created all the objects in the universe. He then has also undertaken to make them aware of their goal and guides them towards it. How does this guiding and directing force of Allah operate wonderfully in the physical objects of the universe? Only the people, who have spent their life in studying and observing the life of these things, can know it. The result of their observations make one wonder struck. The following examples will make it clear: A kind of fish is found in the lakes of Europe and North America. It is called Eel. At a certain period of their age, the eels start coming out of the places of their birth. In the darkness of the night, passing through mud and grass, these eels reach from one lake to the other. Covering thousands of miles, slowly and gradually, they reach near the Island of Moda in the Atlantic Ocean, which is very deep. Now look to the other side: The eels of America reach there likewise. After laying eggs in the deep ocean, they die. Their kiddies, after brooding, start their journey to their native country. Passing through the paths their forefathers have passed, they reach their own lakes and rivulets. Neither of them forgets their path, nor reaches any wrong place. This journey takes them three years to reach their destination. This series of sequence continues. The observers observe their particulars very carefully. But no one is able to discover the mystery as to, which is the force that guides the kiddies, whose parents died before their birth, and also the mystery as to how they reach their native country. These kiddies do never lose their way in this journey of thousands of miles. continued...
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