>From: "RAMI Abu-Ghoush"
>Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2003 16:29:41 -0800
>Subject: [The Call to Islam] I don't believe in God, but rather in
>science....

>Bism Allah arahman araheem
>
>Inshala all of you will have the time to read those few pages...and pass
>it to our friends....
>
>
>
>And there they were, on a flight from Cape Town to Durban, seated side
>by side, two gentlemen from two different worlds.......After the
>formalities were covered, the conversation continued........
>
>Bob: I don't believe in God, but rather in science and technology,        
>something tangible you see, but if you can prove to me scientifically
>that God does exist then I would consider such a thought.
>
>Yunus: Okay, you being interested in technology, please answer this
>question......with regard to an advanced machine or electronic device,
>who would be the one to know the most about its mechanism or
>functioning?
>
>Bob: Well, perhaps the person who has invented or manufactured such a
>machine.
>
>Yunus: Can we agree that it is the maker or creator of the product who
>would know every-thing there is to know about the product.
>
>Bob: I don't see why not, it sounds reasonable.
>
>Yunus: Being knowledgeable in these matters, the next question I'd like
>to ask you is, Just how did the world or the universe come into
>existence?
>
>Bob: According to recent scientific research, the whole universe was one
>gigantic mass, which scientists call the primary Nebula, they tell us
>that it was a cosmic explosion or a secondary explosion that gave rise
>to the sun, the stars, the planets and even the Earth we live on.
>
>Yunus: Is this what you believe?
>
>Bob: Yes of course, these are established facts based on scientific
>proofs. In fact, this idea was realised in 1973 and termed the 'BIG
>BANG' theory.
>
>Yunus: I see, well I have a surprise for you....In the Holy Quraan,
>chapter 21, verse 30 says. "Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens
>and the earth were joined together, then I split them apart". Here we
>can see that the Holy Quraan is speaking about this 'BIG BANG' theory
>and let me tell you that the Holy Quraan was revealed over 1400 years
>ago.
>
>Bob: I have heard about the Quraan, but can you refresh my memory.
>
>Yunus: Sure, the Muslim believes the Quraan to be the word of God, pure
>and unadulterated which was revealed verbally to the Prophet _____ of
>Islam, Mohammed, Peace be upon him, through the agency of the Angel
>Gabriel. The Holy Quraan was completed over a period of 23 years, that
>is over the prophetic life of the Prophet _____________ of Islam.
>
>Bob: Are you sure that the Quraan is over 14 centuries old and secondly,
>that the Quraan has not been changed.
>
>Yunus: Absolutely, it is a historical fact that the Holy Quraan was
>completed in the seventh century and has remained unchanged ever since.
>Historians, whether friends or foes to Islam, testify to this.
>
>Bob: Well then, perhaps it's a guess.
>
>Yunus:.....What does science say about the shape of the Earth ?
>
>Bob: Previously, Man thought that the Earth was flat, until Sir Frances
>Drake in 1607 finally proved it to be spherical. Today, the term Geoid
>is used to describe this spherical shape.
>
>Yunus: Amazingly the Holy Quraan in chapter 31, verse 29 says, "Have you
>not seen how God merges the night into the day and merges the day into
>the night." The use of the word merges emphasizes a slow gradual change,
>and this is not possible if the earth is flat.
>
>Bob: Go on.
>
>Yunus: Further in chapter 39, verse 5, it says, "He coils the night upon
>the day and he coils the day upon the night." The word used in the
>original arabic text is "Kaw'wara" which means coils or winds, the
>significance of this verb is that you usually coil something around a
>rather spherical object. You say that this fact was discovered recently,
>well relatively recently, who could have mentioned this in the Holy
>Quraan over 1400 years ago ?
>
>Bob: I'm not convinced.
>
>Yunus: Fine, tell me where the light of the Moon comes from?
>
>Bob: Centuries ago people thought that the Moon was a miniature version
>of the Sun and that both emitted their own light, but recently studies
>confirmed that the Moon reflected the Sun's light.
>
>Yunus: The Holy Quraan in chapter 25, verse 61 mentions, "Blessed is the
>one who placed the constellations in the Heaven and placed therein a
>lamp and a Moon reflecting light." Here the Sun is referred to as a lamp
>for it has its own illumination, while the Moon is said to have
>reflected light or borrowed light, meaning not its own.
>
>Bob: Its probably conjecture...guesswork.
>
>Yunus: For the sake of a discussion I won't argue. Anyway, let us
>proceed....... When I was
>
>in school in the 80's, my teacher told me that the Sun remains
>stationary whilst the planets although rotating around their axes do
>revolve around the Sun as well.
>
>Bob: Is that what your Quraan says, that the Sun is stationary....Ha!
>
>Yunus: No, the Holy Quraan does not say this. This is what I learned in
>school.
>
>Bob: Today, science has advanced. We have come to know that the Sun does
>in fact revolve around its own axis. You see, the Sun if observed with
>the apppropriate scientific apparatus reveals to possess the "Black
>spots". Continuous observation shows that these black spots take 25 days
>to complete a revolution. Therefore we conclude that the Sun rotates and
>that it takes approximately 25 days to complete one full rotation around
>its axis.
>
>Yunus: Well, this is nothing new to the muslim for it is revealed in the
>Holy Quraan in chapter 21, verse 33, "(God is) the One who created the
>night, the day, the Sun and the Moon, each one spinning around its own
>axis (travelling in an orbit)". Here it is evident that the Sun and the
>Moon both rotate and further the celestial law of orbital movement is
>made mention of. You tell me who could have mentioned these scientific
>facts in the Holy Quraan which you say was discovered recently by your
>scientists ? Before you answer that question, tell me......is there a
>difference between a star and a planet?
>
>Bob: Yes, today we know that stars are heavenly bodies like the Sun in
>that they produce their own light, while planets on the other hand, do
>not produce their own light....like the earth on which we live.
>
>Yunus: The Holy Quraan mentions scientific facts not only in the field
>of astronomy.
>
>Bob: I'm listening.
>
>Yunus: In several verses of the Holy Quraan the details of the water
>cycle is mentioned. It explains that the water from the earth and ground
>rises up and forms clouds .............. these clouds condense, there is
>lightning and rain falls from the clouds. This is evident from the
>following quotations ...........chapter 39, verse 21, "Have you not seen
>that Allah sent rain down from the sky and caused it to penetrate the
>ground, and come forth as springs.......", In chapter 23, verse 18, "We
>sent down water from the sky measure and lodged it in the ground and we
>certainly are able to withdraw it", and also in chapter 24, verse 43,
>"Have you not seen that God makes the clouds move gently, then joins
>them together, then makes them a heap. And you see rain drops falling
>from the midst of it ........"
>
>Bob: According to my knowledge, the first coherent account of the water
>cycle was presented by Bernard Palissy in 1580.
>
>Yunus: This is the exact distinction that the Holy Quraan makes between
>stars and planets. In chapter 86, verse 1-3, "By the sky and the night
>visitor, who will tell you what the night visitor is, the star of
>piercing brightness", which obviously refer to the stars. The planets
>are described as ornaments in chapter 37, verse 6, as it reads, "We have
>indeed adorned the lowest heaven with ornaments, the planets".
>
>Bob: ............................... Hmmmmmm.........................It
>is no secret that the Arabs were advanced in the field of astronomy, and
>perhaps it was these learned astronomers that passed their findings to
>the Prophet _____________.
>
>Yunus: I do agree that the Arabs were advanced in astronomy, but I'm
>afraid that you have the order or sequence of events incorrect.
>
>Bob: What do you mean?!
>
>Yunus: Let me remind you that the Holy Quraan was revealed centuries
>before the Arabs became advanced in this field of astronomy, so it was
>the Arabs who learnt about astronomy from the Quraan and most definitely
>not vice versa.
>
>The Holy Quraan in chapter 30, verse 48 mentions that, "God is the one
>who sends forth the winds which raised up the clouds. He spreads them in
>the sky as he wills and breaks them into fragments. Then you see rain
>drops issuing from within them.....". While on the topic of Geography, I
>am sure you understand what is meant by the term "Folding".
>
>Bob: Yes, you see.... the crust of the earth is relatively thin and
>mountain ranges due to the phenomenon of folding provides stability for
>the earth.
>
>Yunus: The Holy Quraan in chapter 78, verse 6-7 gives us an indication
>of the very same phenomenon as it says, "Have we not made the earth an
>expanse and the mountains stakes".
>
>Here the word "stakes" is synonymous with the word pegs as in holding
>the earth in place. Further the first part of this verse shows us that
>the earth is not flat for it is an expanse ..... meaning that you can
>walk and walk without falling off.
>
>The former idea is clarified in chapter 21, verse 31....."We placed the
>ground (mountains) standing firm so that it does not shake with them".
>Here we are told that mountains allow for the maintenance of the earths
>stability by preventing the earth's shape to change in such a way so as
>to cause it to move out of its orbit. Permit me to go on
>........scientists pointed out recently that salt water and fresh water
>do not mix.......is that correct ?
>
>Bob: That is correct.....this phenomenon is observed at various
>locations......for example the region where the Nile river meets with
>the Mediterranean sea and more especially in the Gulf stream where these
>two bodies of water flow together for thousands of kilometres.
>
>Yunus: In chapter 25, verse 53 it reads, ....... "God is the one that
>has let free two seas, one is sweet and palatable and the other is salty
>and bitter. He placed an unseen barrier between them, a partition that
>is forbidden to pass". A similar message is given in chapter 55, verses
>19 and 20, "He has loosed the two seas. They meet together. Between them
>there is an unseen barrier which they do not transgress........"
>
>Bob: Maybe some Arabs whist diving or swimming made such an observation.
>Yunus: Unlikely, what you fail to realize is that the Holy Quraan too
>testifies that it is an unseen barrier and therefore it could not and
>still cannot be observed.
>
>Bob: I see..... according to Darwinism and the theory of evolution, it
>is claimed that all life began in the sea or oceans.........can you tell
>me what does your Quraan say about this.....if anything at all.
>
>Yunus: Yes, but first tell me just why does this theory have such a
>conclusion.....that life began in the Oceans....
>
>Bob: Well, one of the reasons is that the chemical make-up or
>composition of human and animal life shows that water is the chief
>constituent. In fact between 50 and 90 %.
>
>Yunus: In chapter 21, verse 30, it also says.............."And We made
>every living thing from water. Will they still not believe". Can you
>imagine that in the deserts of Arabia, where there is obviously a
>scarcity of water, who would have guessed that not only man but every
>living thing is made from
>water.
>
>Bob: I am aware that Cytoplasm, the main constituent of the cell is
>composed of approximately eighty percent water and that every living
>creature is of fifty or ninety percent water.
>
>Yunus: Who could have mentioned these facts in the Quraan over 1400
>years ago ?...there are over hundreds of facts in the Holy Quraan that
>modern science cannot find fault with today. On the topic of theories
>.......Can you explain to me just what is meant by the theory of
>drifting continents.
>
>Bob: Sure, all our continents were at one time parts of one consolidated
>land mass, then following an explosion, they were scattered or rather
>pushed away all over the surface of the earth. Therefore if you look
>carefully at the world map, you would see for example that the East
>coast of South America would fit neatly against the West coast of
>Africa.
>
>Yunus: A similar idea is reflected in the Holy Quraan in the chapter 79,
>verse 30, "and the earth He extended after that and then drew from it
>water and pastures". It says that the Earth passed through a stage when
>God had caused the land masses to drift apart.
>
>Bob: Are you using scientific knowledge to prove the Quraan ?
>
>Yunus: No, the Quraan is not a book of science but rather a book of
>signs. In fact, it has over 6000 signs (verses) out of which 1000 of
>these deal with scientific knowledge. I am not using science to prove
>something correct, you need a yardstick or knowledge that is absolute,
>something ultimate.....
>
>Yunus: To the educated men like yourself, those that do not believe in
>God, science is generally your yardstick.....but to the Muslim, the Holy
>Quraan is our ultimate yardstick....the Quraan is also referred to as
>the "Furqaan" which is the arabic word meaning, the criterion between
>that which is right and that which is wrong. Therefore I am using your
>yardstick 'science' to prove to you what is said in the Holy Quraan.
>What your yardstick has said in relatively recent times ...... mine has
>said 14 centuries ago. Can we agree, therefore, that the Quraan is
>superior to science and that the Quraan is the ultimate yardstick.
>
>Bob: Tell me more.
>
>Yunus: The Quraan says in chapter 20, verse 53, "(God is the one) who
>sent down rain from the sky and with it brought forth a variety of
>plants in pairs". Here the Holy Quraan mentions a scientific fact which
>was discovered much later in history ..... that is .......the plant
>kingdom too has male and female types. This is also echoed in chapter
>13, verse 3, "...........and of all fruits (God) placed on the earth two
>pairs ......."
>
>Yunus: A branch of the field of Zoology has recently pointed out that
>there exists various social dynamics in the animal world. The Holy
>Quraan tells us the same, that the animals and birds live in communities
>in chapter 6, verse 38, "There is no animal on earth, no bird which
>flies on wings, that (does not belong to) communities like you .....".
>
>Yunus: If I tell you that the Holy Quraan tells us of ants talking to
>one another, you will probably laugh, but the branch of Zoology that I
>am telling you about, has found the animal or insect which closely
>resembles the dynamics of the human, is the ant ....... for apart from
>an extremely 'advanced' system of communication (as is mentioned in the
>Holy Quraan, chapter 27, verse 18), They ..... the ants bury the dead
>and can have what can be said to be an equivalent of a market place.
>
>Bob: Perhaps your Prophet _____________ was a very observant man who
>made notes of them.
>
>Yunus: First I would like to inform you that history years witness that
>the Prophet _____________ of Islam was an illiterate man in that he had
>no formal schooling and therefore could not read nor write. In fact at
>that time a great majority of Arabs were illiterate with only a
>negligible number who were literate. Nonetheless, it is also mentioned
>that it is the female bee that collects honey ........ Do you think that
>anybody could be so observant as to pick this up? You have just reminded
>me about something even more significant; in chapter 16, verse 69, it
>reads, "...... from their (bees) bodies comes a liquor of different
>colours wherein is a remedy for men." Today the medical scientist tell
>us that there are antiseptic qualities and applications of honey.
>Furthermore, I believe that it is used in the treatment of various
>allergies.
>
>Bob: No wonder the Russian soldiers used to apply honey on their wounds.
>Yes, and as a result, the wounds left very little scar tissue.
>
>Yunus: In chapter 16, verse 66, the Holy Quraan described blood
>circulation with regard to the production of milk in the cow ....... a
>thousand years before William Harvey made it famous to the western
>world. Let us examine the above mentioned reference, "Verily, in cattle
>too is a lesson for you, we give to you to drink of what is in their
>bodies, coming from a conjugation between the contents of the intestine
>and the blood, a milk, pure and pleasant for those who drink it."
>
>Bob: Tell me ...... what does the Quraan say about human beings?
>
>Yunus: This question calls for a dissertation, for the Quraan deals with
>humans from before the time of conception until after death. .....But
>will you accept a brief exposition on some of the human embryo logical
>data or proofs presented in the Quraan?
>
>Bob: Please go on. This is interesting.
>
>Yunus: We know that after fertilization, the egg or ovum descends from
>the fallopian tube to lodge itself inside the uterus for gestation. This
>is described in chapter 22, verse 5, ".... We cause whom we will to rest
>in the womb for an appointed term......". As you know, there are
>structures or elongations from the egg which develops to draw
>nourishment from the uterus which is necessary for growth. These
>structural formations make the egg or rather the zygote seem to be
>literally clinging to the uterus ....... this, doubtedly, is a
>scientific discovery of modern times for the western world.
>
>Did you know this appearance of clinging is described five times in the
>Holy Quraan. For example, in chapter 96, verses 1 & 2, "Read, in the
>name of your Lord who fashioned man from something which clings".
>Similar ideas are found in chapter 22, verse 5 - chapter 23, verse 14
>and chapters 40 & 75. Furthermore, foetal growth is described in great
>detail in chapter 23, verse 14, with regard to the development of the
>skeleton. "Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; Then
>made that clot into a lump (foetus); then We made out of that lump Bones
>and clothed the bones with flesh ............" ........ the verse goes
>on further in this manner of description.
>
>Also with regard to the order or sequence of the senses, the Holy Quraan
>in chapter 32, verse 9 says, "......... He gave you (the faculties of)
>hearing and of sight........". Today, medical cience cannot argue with
>this sequence development of the senses in the foetus for it confirms
>that the development of hearing is completed by five months of pregnancy
>and that the eye is split open by the seventh month of pregnancy.
>
>These facts and more have been brought to light by the western world as
>late as 1940. Furthermore, Professor Keith More, an embryologist at the
>university of Toronto in Canada, was asked to make a comparative study
>of the Embryo logical data in the Holy Quraan with that of modern
>scientific knowledge and he responded as follows, "The 1300 year old
>Quraan contains messages so accurate about embryonic development that
>muslims can reasonably believe them to be from God."
>
>Bob: If this is true then how come it has not been recorded in the
>media?
>
>Yunus: But it was ....... check the archives ......for example .......
>the citizen, a Canadian Newspaper dated 22 November 1984, under the
>heading "Ancient Holy Book 1300 years ahead of its time". Or the times
>of India, New Delhi ...... dated 10 December 1984 under the caption
>"Koran scores over modern sciences."
>
>Bob: This is really fascinating......don't stop..........continue....
>
>Yunus: At this point I am reminded of a very powerful verse of the Holy
>Quraan which appears in chapter 41, verse 53, "Soon shall we show them
>our signs in the (furthest) regions of the earth , and in their own
>souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth......".
>
>Yunus: The holy Quraan even speaks about diabetics.
>
>Bob: What do you mean?
>
>Yunus: You see, certain foodstuffs are declared unfit for human
>consumption and are therefore prohibited.
>
>Bob: While we are on the topic of food ....... tell me why is it that a
>muslim is very
>
>particular about the words Halaal and Haraam ...... What do they mean?
>
>Yunus: That which is permissible is termed Halaal and that which is not
>permissible is termed Haraam and it is the Quraan which draws the
>distinction between the two.
>
>Bob: Can you give me an example ?
>
>Yunus: Yes, Islam has prohibited blood of any type. You will agree that
>a chemical analysis of blood shows that it contains an abundance of uric
>acid, a chemical substance which can be injurious to human health.
>
>Bob: You're right about the toxic nature of uric acid, in the human
>being it is excreted as a waste product....... in fact we are told that
>98% of the bodies uric acid is extracted from the blood by the kidneys
>and removed through urination.
>
>Yunus: Now I think that you'll appreciate the special prescribed method
>of animal slaughter in Islam.
>
>Bob: What do you mean ?
>
>Yunus: You see.....the wielder of the knife, whilst taking the name of
>the Almighty, makes an incision through the jugular veins, leaving all
>other veins of the neck intact.
>
>Bob: I see.....this causes the death of the animal by a total loss of
>blood from the body, rather than an injury to any vital organ.
>
>Yunus: Yes, were the organs, example the heart, the liver, or the brain
>crippled or damaged, the animal could die immediately and its blood
>would congeal in its veins and would eventually permeate (spread
>throughout) the flesh. This implies that the animal flesh would be
>permeated and contaminated with uric acid and therefore very poisonous
>...... only today did our dietitians realise such a thing.
>
>Bob: Again, while on the topic of food........ Why do Muslims condemn
>the eating of pork or
>
>ham or any foods related to pigs or swine.
>
>Yunus: Actually, apart from the Quraan prohibiting the consumption of
>pig flesh, ......in fact the Bible too in Leviticus chapter 11, verse 8,
>.....regarding swine it says, "of their flesh (of the swine) shall you
>not eat, and of their carcase you shall not touch; they are unclean to
>you." Further, did you know that a pig cannot be slaughtered at the neck
>for it does not have a neck ..........that is according to its natural
>anatomy. A Muslim reasons that if the pig was to be slaughtered and fit
>for human consumption the creator would have provided it with a neck.
>Nonetheless, ........all that aside, I am sure you are well informed
>about the harmful effects of the consumption of pork, in any form, be it
>pork chops ...... ham ...... bacon.......
>
>Bob: The medical sciences find that there is a risk for various diseases
>as the pig is found to be a host for many parasites and potential
>diseases.
>
>Yunus: Yes, even apart from that ....as we talked about uric acid
>content in the blood.....it is important to note that the pig's
>biochemistry excretes only 2% of its total uric acid content...... the
>remaining 98% remains as an integral part of the body. This explains the
>high rate of Rheumatism found in those who consume pork.
>
>Bob: Let's fasten our seatbelts ......I think we are going to land
>shortly .... I guess its true - time does fly when you're having fun.
>I've never heard these arguments before and I'd like to hear
>more.......just what is the basic theme of the Holy Quraan anyway ?
>
>Yunus: The basic theme is of salvation, in this life and in the life
>hereafter..... it does not fall into the category of any known arts or
>sciences of the world, but since it addresses itself to mankind, it
>touches on almost all the disciplines which concern Him. Thus the Quraan
>surprisingly encompassed truths which were to be discovered and
>confirmed much later as our discussion has shown.
>
>Bob: This reminds me of the wise words of Sir Francis, who said, "It is
>a little knowledge of science that makes you an Atheist, and it is an
>in-depth study of science that makes you a believer in God Almighty".
>
>Thereafter nobody said a word ........they each sat back and looked
>forward waiting for touch down.........
>
>
>
>Jazana wa Jazakom Allah
>