You’Re Witnessing A Miracle!

[ummtaalib]

By Abu Muhammed

From time immemorial, the Almighty Creator, Allah Jalla Wa A’ala, as a manifestation of His Mercy towards Humanity, intermittently sent Prophets  and Messengers to remind Man of the pledge of allegiance given to Allah Jalla Wa A’ala  in the world of souls (Qur’an Surah 7: V172). Together with a call towards a Divine code of life, a Prophet and Messenger often performed a supernatural act that defied logic and the laws of nature and which could only be classified as an act of God – A MIRACLE!

With Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him), it was his speech as an infant to protect the integrity of his mother (Qur’an Surah 19: V30-33) , blowing of life in to clay birds,  his curing the lepers, granting of sight to those born blind, bringing the dead back to life-all with Allah’s permission (Qur’an Surah 3: V49) while with Moosa (Moses)(peace be upon him) it was his staff turning in to a serpent to devour the ‘snakes’ of the magicians to defeat them  in to submission and his staff splitting the Red Sea, allowing for the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt and the tyranny of the Pharoah while at the same time resulting in the watery grave and destruction of the Pharoah- all with Allah’s  permission (Surah 26: V63- 68). To many other Prophets and Messengers were also miracles but the aim and objective was one – to draw the attention of their respective nations to the Greatness of Allah Jalla Wa A’ala and as a Divine ‘stamp of approval’ of the Prophet /Messenger

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammed (Peace be upon him) was the last in the noble line and station of Prophethood. He (peace be upon him) performed many miracles during his lifetime and it was imperative that, as his mission of Prophethood extends until the Last Day his followers, who were mantled with the responsibility of carrying on his mission, had in their possession a living miracle of his that would serve the purpose mentioned above.  Allah Jalla Wa A’ala, in His Divine wisdom, provided for this in the form of the greatest of literary works that transformed the Arabian Peninsula and propelled a group of ‘backward desert dwellers’ not to just the leadership of two thirds of the then known world but also to becoming the beacons of faith and justice in a world drowned in the injustice of faithlessness. This is the Qur’aan – revered as THE infallible word of GOD by more than 1,6 billion Muslims the world over from every conceivable colour, creed and background, whose message still holds relevance and credence today as it did 1 400 years ago and will still do the same until the end of time. Free on any contradictions and inaccuracies!

The Quraan is not just a miracle but a myriad of miracles packaged all in one. Apart from it being the most read book in the world, it is also THE only book that has, is and will be memorised verse for verse in its original language of revelation by hundreds of thousands of Muslims many of whom do not even speak Arabic. Nothing showcases this spectacle more succinctly than the month of Ramadaan where Masaajid, Musallahs and homes are adorned with the recitation of the Quraan during the additional night prayers. A point to mention here is that while every Muslim is encouraged to understand the Quraan, its recitation without understanding is also not without benefit. A group of atheist, Russian high ranked politicians began to tear after listening to the world renowned Quraan Reciter Qari, Sheikh Abdul Basit (May Allah have mercy on him) reciting the Quraan before them and their only explanation was that, ‘There was something touching in it!’ The fact that it is mandatory to read the Quraan in Arabic in formal prayers is a unifying factor for Muslims in that wherever in the world they may find themselves, all differences of culture, language and the colour instantly melt away when the Imam (leader in prayer) begins the prayer and the familiarity of what’s recited binds the followers in a bond of brotherhood that looms above all else!

Languages, by their very nature, evolve and their essence, correct meaning and understanding, often lost. Not only has the Arabic language been preserved but after its revelation the Quraan because of its literary brilliance, had become THE basis and reference of the Arabic language, thus ensuring its use, protection and proliferation for posterity. Unlike other religions, anyone wishing to pursue Islamic Scholarship, the learning of Classical Arabic is a pre requisite as the Quraan which is the foundation and primary source of the Shariah (body of Islamic Law) has to be studied in its original language of revelation. Translations are unreliable as a primary source as during this process much of the essence is lost. This process of memorisation, learning and teaching of the Quraan has protected the Shariah from corruption. The same cannot be said of the other Aramaic languages which were the original languages of revelation of the Jewish and Christian scriptures.

Given the fact that the Quraan is a religious scripture meant for the guidance of humanity it stands to reason that a considerable portion of it deals with spiritual concepts of the purpose of creation, beliefs, stories of the previous Prophets, death, life after death, heaven and hell it is not limited to these aspects. It has broad principles of social laws and interaction as well as principles that cover aspects of trade, business and laws of inheritance. Together with this there are scientific truths that were mentioned 1 400 years ago which science has only discovered in the last century. Some of these are:

-          The origin of the Universe resulting from a ‘bang’ and continuously expanding (Qur’an Surah  51 : V47) discovered by Physicist and Astronomer Lemaitre and confirmed by Edwin Hubble in 1929

-          The  origin of life in water (Surah 21: V30) only recently discovered by Biologists

-          All things created in pairs (Surah 37: V36) discovered by Physicist Paul Dirac in 1933  

-          Conception and subsequent development of the foetus (Surah 23 – V12-14/Surah 36 – V6/Surah 75 – V36-37) as verified by leading American Embryologist Dr Keith Moore

-          The uniqueness of fingerprints (Surah 75 : V3-4) which was only discovered in the 19^th Century

-          The atmosphere created in seven layers (Surah 2 : V29) and each layer having its own characteristics (Surah 41 :  V12) as well as the formation of rain (Surah 24 : V43/Surah 30 : V48) as well as the equal rate of evaporation and precipitation (Surah 43 : V11) only discovered recently by Meteorologists using modern technology

-          Mountains created as pegs to stabilise the earth (Surah 21 : V31) only discovered by modern Geologists

-          The property of the seas, that they come together yet do not mix at all due to difference in density (Surah 55 : V 19-20) only very recently  discovered by Oceanographers

While the above has been cited it is important to understand that the Quraan confirms science and not vice versa and the objective of revealing these scientific truths was to manifest the greatness of Allah Jalla Wa A’ala to those who ponder and reflect so that they would also be enveloped in Divine guidance which is the ultimate objective of the revelation of the Quraan (Surah 2 : V2) and could also benefit from the ‘Divinely endorsed’ lifestyle of the The Final Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammed (May Allah be pleased with him)

Probably the greatest miracle of the Quraan and a proof of its Divine origin is the fact that the one to whom it was revealed  was unlettered, did not have any formal schooling  was not renowned for his poetic skills in a society that prided itself on its Poets and poetry, yet at the age of forty, over a period of twenty three years, Muhammad (peace be upon him) began uttering such words from revelation that would culminate in the greatest literary masterpiece as well as a manual for eternal salvation – The Last Testament /The Qur’an the world has ever seen and will ever see! This could be none other than the fact that what he spoke was not from himself but rather what the Almighty placed on his tongue (Surah 53 : V1-5) and so laconically prophesised in the Biblical verse of Deuteronomy, ‘…and I (God) will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him’ (Bible Ch 18 : V 18)

 

Dr Maurice Bucaille, who embraced Islam after studying the Quraan, had this to say

‘It is impossible that Muhammad (peace be upon him) authored the Quran. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature?

 

How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at that time, an all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?’ (The Bible, the Quran and Science - 1978, p. 125)

 

To all of us who are living at this moment who are looking for a something to inspire and motivate us, to answer our questions, satisfy our curiosities, remove our confusion, solve our problems and point us in the direction of living correctly so that we may travel the road to eternal happiness and salvation… then me need to look no further than the Quraan which is the greatest miracle that exists today – embrace it and be Guided!

 

EISLAM