Iman (faith) is to proclaim the Kalimah (principle) with the tongue and affirm its truth with the heart. In the Kalimah one has to bear/witness to the truth in the following words: "I bear witness that there is no god (deity) but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Apostle of Allah." By proclaiming this Kalimah one implicitly believes in the following Articles of Faith:
Existence and Attributes of Allah
Destiny or Measure (Taqdir)
Angels
Prophets
Revealed Books
The Hereafter
Iman is the basis of acts of worship and righteous deeds in Islam.
One of the names and attributes of Allah is Al Haqq (The Truth). In reading and understanding the Qur'an, a Muslim man or a Muslim woman is seeking the truth. Muslims say Islam is the religion of Truth. As defined above our Iman (faith) is affirmation of the truths and not blind beliefs.
There are religions whose followers believe the idols to be gods or Jesus to be Son of God. There are people who worship fire as god or natural entities or forces as gods. There are people who even worship Satan. One can have belief or faith in anything. So what is the difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim. As pointed out before, the-Muslim's Iman is affirmation of the truth. In Dawah work a Muslim may encounter the challenge in the Article of Faith in "Angels." In other words a Muslim has to answer the question "Do Angels exist?" and what is the truth?
Belief in the Angels
The Muslims conceptualize angels according to Western ideas as an anthropomorphic (human-like appearance), female in sex, white in color, having two white wings and a halo above the head. In Islam this is a false representation of the angels.
From the Qur'an we know that human beings are made from clay and the Jinns are made of smokeless fire. The angels have no gender (neither male nor female).
All life on earth is made of Carbon and water. Living things on earth need energy for their activities. Some of these activities are chemical reactions, which need a supply of energy. This supply of energy comes from the foods we eat, particularly the sugars. Fat is also a source of (stored) energy. When sugars (glucose) are oxidized by metabolism with oxygen they are converted into water, carbon dioxide and energy. This process is called respiration. Life as we know on earth consists of cells, etc., based on Carbon and chemical reactions and cannot be applied- to life and creatures based on physical reactions found on earth and elsewhere. For example, the author has shown that the Jinns have a more complex basis for their life involving electrical charges as well as magnetic forces. The positive and negative ions interact and respond to the presence of magnetic forces which in turn affect the stable structure and movement of the Jinns: This situation is similar to the influence of proteins and nucleic acids in earthly life.
Hadith and Qur'an
In order to explain the existence of the angels, one must know the nature of the angels. From the Hadith we get the following information:
The angels are created from light' and are invisible.
2. They do not have any free will or an independent will to act on their own. That is they have only a one-dimensional nature, something like a programmed robot
3. They carry out without question all the Commands (laws) of Allah and do not oppose or neglect them in any way.
Like everything in the Universe, day and night they are engaged in praising and glorifying Allah and are never tired of this.
They carry out their functions honestly, efficiently and responsibly and are never guilty of shirking work.
6. The number of angels is only known to Allah, however four of them are well known: Gabriel (conveys Allah's revelations and messages to the Prophets); Israfil (by Allah's Command will blow into the Trumpet on the Day of Resurrection); Michael (arranges for rainfall and supply of provisions to the creatures' of Allah, with His Command); and Izrail (takes people's souls at the time of death).
7. Two angels, called 'Munkar' and 'Nakir' arc sent to the graves to question a person after his/her death.
The Qur'an says:
Behold two (guardian angels) appointed W register (his doings): one sitting on the right and one on the left. Not a word does he (man) utter, but there is a sentinel by him ready (to register it). Surah L: 17-18
These angels are called the Noble Scribes (Karamun, Katibun). LXXXII: 10-12
And if it were
Our Will We could make angels
From amongst you, succeeding
Each other on the earth
(Surah, XLIII: 60)
In explaining this Ayah one of the scholars says that the angels are created without a father or a mother and that they do not eat and drink. That is they do not have any emotions including passion and they are devoid of instincts (biological urges). They cannot commit sin nor disobey.
Man is superior to the angels because he has a two-dimensional nature. Firstly, he is endowed with an immortal spirit, which is breathed into him by Allah. Secondly, he is endowed with the faculty of reason and an independent will of his own (free will) so that he can obey or disobey Allah's Commandments and choose his own way freely. Unlike the angels, man has a gender (sex), instincts and biological urges.
Scientific Views
The author believes there is nothing wrong in attempting to understand or to interpret the concept of angels in the light of modern knowledge. After all, Muslims and scientists are seekers of the truth and truth is the same in either domain. Some Ulema or Islamic scholars have come very close to explaining the angels in terms of scientific terminology and have given the analogy of radio-waves, cinematography and the recordings of audio and video images on video-cassettes. It is the intention of the author to make efforts in better understanding and in conceptualization of angels, which are created by Allah in terms of nature, natural laws and natural forces, which are also created by Allah.
Angels can be interpreted as Messengers or Instruments of Allah's Will, and may have a few or numerous errands entrusted to them.
The scientific concept which very closely describes the angels is the electromagnetic force (electromagnetic radiation). If angels are made of light then light is made of electromagnetic radiation, which travels at 186,000 miles per second. Like angels electromagnetic force obeys the laws of nature incessantly without mistake and has. No free will or an independent will of its own. Hence it has a one-dimensional nature like angels. Electromagnetic radiation has no gender, no emotions including passions and has no instincts or biological urges. It is invisible except in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum (4,000 to 7,000 Angstroms wavelength).
The Qur'an mentions that angels came in -the form of humans to Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Lot and the Hadith mentions about angel Gabriel talking to Prophet Muhammad " " in the form of human being. This is also not difficult to understand because we can create Holographic images, which are three-dimensional human figures that can talk using laser light and white light (visible light). Again, laser light and white light are electromagnetic radiation. Communication is possible by means of radio waves or microwaves, which are also electromagnetic radiation.
The four angels can be explained in terms of the four forces that exist in nature. These four obey the laws of Allah incessantly without any mistake, without any disobedience. These four forces are the Gravitational Force, Electromagnetic Force, Weak Force, and the Strong or Nuclear Force.
PS The ideas, opinions and theories expounded by the author in this article may be proven wrong in the light of new knowledge available in the future and the author takes full responsibility for it. There is nothing wrong in expounding one's ideas; today which may be proven inappropriate or obsolete in the future. One can witness this in the study of great scientists, both Muslim and non-Muslim, such as lbn Sina, Al-Razi, Al-Biruni, etc. and the giants of the Western civilization such as Plato, Aristotle, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, etc.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Big Bang Theory: From a Qur'anic Perspective
One of the great mysteries facing scientists today are the answers to the two following questions:
1. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE?
2. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF LIFE?
The answer to the first question is difficult than the answer to the second question. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an creation of the universe was a greater problem than the creation of man.
The following verse in the Qur'an alludes to the Big Bang Theory:
DO THEY NOT THE UNBELIEVERS SEE THAT THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE JOINED TOGETHER (AS ONE UNIT OF CREATION) BEFORE WE CLOVE THEM ASUNDER? WE MADE FROM WATER EVERY LIVING THING. WILL THEY NOT THEN BELIEVE?
Surah: 21. Al-Anbiyaa, Ayath 30
The origin of universe has been explained by several cosmological theories. One theory that seems philosophically far more attractive is called the Steady-State model. This theory was proposed in the 1940s by Herman Bondi, Thomas Gold and Fred Hoyle. They stated that the universe has always been just about the same as it is now. As it expands, new matter is continually created to fill up the gaps between the galaxies.
This theory has been replaced by the "Standard Model" or the "Big Bang" Theory. Using the Doppler effect the astronomers confirmed that the galaxies are moving away and that the universe is expanding. The birth of the universe has been estimated to be between 15 and 30 billion years ago.
The experimental confirmation of the Big Bang Theory came from the detection of the Cosmic Microwave Radiation Background by a pair of radio astronomers, Arno. A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson. In 1964 they were working in the Bell Telephone Laboratory which had in its possession of an unusual radio antenna on Crawford Hill at Holmdel, New Jersey. By measuring the cosmic microwave radiation background radiation which is the noise left over from the early universe, they calculated the temperature in the universe to be 3.5 degrees Kelvin.
In the beginning there was an explosion. This explosion is not the same as one observes on earth. As a result of this explosion, space and time were born and started to expand to this day, and they will continue to expand in the future. The temperature of the universe was about a hundred thousand million degrees Centigrade. It is so hot than none of the components of ordinary matter molecules, or atoms or even the nuclei of atoms, could have held together. In the early universe there was abundance of electrons,
Positrons (anti-electron) and neutrinos, ghostly particles with no mass or electric charge. Finally, the universe was filled with light. Light consists of particles of zero mass and zero electrical charge known as photons. The number and the average energy of the photons was about the same as for electrons, positrons or neutrinos. These particles were continually being created out of pure energy (original source of all matter in the present-day universe-galaxies, nebulae, stars, planets, earth, etc.).
As the time passed and the temperature of the universe cooled, nucleosynthesis took place and hydrogen and helium and other heavy elements were formed. After 3 minutes of the Big Bang, the universe consisted of 73 percent hydrogen and 27 percent helium. The resulting gases under the influence of gravitation ultimately condensed to form the galaxies and stars of the present universe.
The Big Bang Theory is very close to a comprehensive understanding of Surah 21, Al-Anbiyaa and Ayath 30, which is cited above. In his note # 2690, Allama Yusuf Ali says " The evolution of the ordered worlds as we see them is hinted at. As man's intellectual gaze over the physical world expands, he sees more and more how Unity is the dominating note in Allah's wonderful Universe. Taking the solar system alone, we know that the maximum intensity of sun-spots corresponds with he maximum intensity of magnetic storms on this earth. The universal law of gravitation seems to bind all mass together. Physical facts point to the throwing off of planets from vast quantities of diffused nebular matter, of which the central condensed core is sun." Of course when Allama Yusuf Ali wrote this commentary it was 1935, long before the Big Bang Theory was espoused and long before the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.
Conclusion: The Big Bang Theory does not contradict the Qur'anic revelation (21:30) and it can be used as a Tafsir in understanding 21:30.
REFERENCE: Weinberg, S.: The First Three Minutes. A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe. Basic Books, Inc. Publishers, NY 1977.
1. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE?
2. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF LIFE?
The answer to the first question is difficult than the answer to the second question. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an creation of the universe was a greater problem than the creation of man.
The following verse in the Qur'an alludes to the Big Bang Theory:
DO THEY NOT THE UNBELIEVERS SEE THAT THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE JOINED TOGETHER (AS ONE UNIT OF CREATION) BEFORE WE CLOVE THEM ASUNDER? WE MADE FROM WATER EVERY LIVING THING. WILL THEY NOT THEN BELIEVE?
Surah: 21. Al-Anbiyaa, Ayath 30
The origin of universe has been explained by several cosmological theories. One theory that seems philosophically far more attractive is called the Steady-State model. This theory was proposed in the 1940s by Herman Bondi, Thomas Gold and Fred Hoyle. They stated that the universe has always been just about the same as it is now. As it expands, new matter is continually created to fill up the gaps between the galaxies.
This theory has been replaced by the "Standard Model" or the "Big Bang" Theory. Using the Doppler effect the astronomers confirmed that the galaxies are moving away and that the universe is expanding. The birth of the universe has been estimated to be between 15 and 30 billion years ago.
The experimental confirmation of the Big Bang Theory came from the detection of the Cosmic Microwave Radiation Background by a pair of radio astronomers, Arno. A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson. In 1964 they were working in the Bell Telephone Laboratory which had in its possession of an unusual radio antenna on Crawford Hill at Holmdel, New Jersey. By measuring the cosmic microwave radiation background radiation which is the noise left over from the early universe, they calculated the temperature in the universe to be 3.5 degrees Kelvin.
In the beginning there was an explosion. This explosion is not the same as one observes on earth. As a result of this explosion, space and time were born and started to expand to this day, and they will continue to expand in the future. The temperature of the universe was about a hundred thousand million degrees Centigrade. It is so hot than none of the components of ordinary matter molecules, or atoms or even the nuclei of atoms, could have held together. In the early universe there was abundance of electrons,
Positrons (anti-electron) and neutrinos, ghostly particles with no mass or electric charge. Finally, the universe was filled with light. Light consists of particles of zero mass and zero electrical charge known as photons. The number and the average energy of the photons was about the same as for electrons, positrons or neutrinos. These particles were continually being created out of pure energy (original source of all matter in the present-day universe-galaxies, nebulae, stars, planets, earth, etc.).
As the time passed and the temperature of the universe cooled, nucleosynthesis took place and hydrogen and helium and other heavy elements were formed. After 3 minutes of the Big Bang, the universe consisted of 73 percent hydrogen and 27 percent helium. The resulting gases under the influence of gravitation ultimately condensed to form the galaxies and stars of the present universe.
The Big Bang Theory is very close to a comprehensive understanding of Surah 21, Al-Anbiyaa and Ayath 30, which is cited above. In his note # 2690, Allama Yusuf Ali says " The evolution of the ordered worlds as we see them is hinted at. As man's intellectual gaze over the physical world expands, he sees more and more how Unity is the dominating note in Allah's wonderful Universe. Taking the solar system alone, we know that the maximum intensity of sun-spots corresponds with he maximum intensity of magnetic storms on this earth. The universal law of gravitation seems to bind all mass together. Physical facts point to the throwing off of planets from vast quantities of diffused nebular matter, of which the central condensed core is sun." Of course when Allama Yusuf Ali wrote this commentary it was 1935, long before the Big Bang Theory was espoused and long before the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.
Conclusion: The Big Bang Theory does not contradict the Qur'anic revelation (21:30) and it can be used as a Tafsir in understanding 21:30.
REFERENCE: Weinberg, S.: The First Three Minutes. A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe. Basic Books, Inc. Publishers, NY 1977.
Quantum Theory and Reality
" The Reality!
What is the Reality?
Ah, what will convey unto thee what the reality is! "
……..Al-Qur'an, Surah Al-Haqqah, (The Reality), 69: 1-3
For thousands of years man has been trying to understand the nature of physical reality, consciousness, the purpose of life, the reality of nature and many, many, mysteries of the life and the universe.
For the last 100 years we have seen the introduction of quantum theory, quantum mechanics and quantum physics that have focused on quantum computation to consciousness, parallel universes and the very nature of physical reality. We are not aware of the extraordinary range of scientific and practical applications that quantum mechanics strengthened: almost 30 percent of the United States GNP (gross national product) is based on the inventions made possible by quantum mechanics, such as semiconductors in computer chips to lasers, CD (compact-disc) players, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in medical centers. Quantum mechanics was instrumental in predicting positrons (antimatter), understanding radioactivity that lead to nuclear power, explaining superconductivity, and describing interactions such as those between light and matter that lead to the invention of the laser and of radiowaves and nuclei that lead to MRI.
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics is a branch of physics, which deals with the behavior of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale. Its concept frequently conflicts with common sense notions. The business of Quantum Mechanics is to describe and account for the world-on the small scale-actually and not as we imagine it or would like it to be. The world of Quantum Mechanics is strange, fascinating, mysterious and very intellectual. On the other hand the word "Quantum Mechanics" is repelling, boring, uninteresting and very dull. Most of us shy away from the word Quantum Mechanics, whenever it is mentioned.
Consider for example the “classical” atom, i.e. the solar system model of the atom as introduced by Rutherford in 1911. The basic flaw with this “classical” atom is that as the orbiting electron circles the nucleus, it should emit electromagnetic waves of an intensity increasing rapidly to infinity in a tiny
fraction of a second, as it spirals inwards and plunges into the nucleus. However, nothing like this is observed. Thus our observation contradicts our “classical” physics theory. This is why Quantum theory, which certainly was not wished upon by scientists, was forced upon them despite their great reluctance. They found themselves driven into this strange, and in many ways, philosophically unsatisfying view of the world.
Thanks God the real world is neither entirely classical nor quantum. On the “large” scale, the world seems to behave rationally according to the classical theory. However as you go “smaller”, it starts to act in a strange, peculiar way to save itself from extinction.
Now what if we were living in an entirely classical (non-quantum) world?
The answer is simple. There would be no world, classical or other, to live in. In a purely classical world, the atoms would not exist, as the electrons would be sucked into the nucleus, transforming the world into a concentrated, dense material, in a fraction of a second.
One might say that since this awkward quantum theory deals with the very “tiny”, who cares? Wrong. As a matter of fact the very existence of solid bodies, the strength and physical properties of materials, the nature of chemistry, the colors of substances, the phenomena of freezing and boiling, the reliability of inheritance, these, and many familiar properties, require the quantum theory for their explanations.
The World without the knowledge of Quantum Mechanics
On the other hand, quantum theory has been an outstanding successful theory and underlies nearly all of modern science and technology. It governs the behavior of transistors and integrated circuits, which are the essential components of electronics devices such as television and computers, as mentioned earlier, and is also the basis of modern chemistry and biology. In short, it is almost impossible to imagine the modern world without the contributions of quantum theory. Quantum theory as we know it today arouse out of two independent later schemes which were innovated by a pair of young remarkable physicists: a 24 year old German, Werner Heisenberg, and an Austrian, Erwin Schrodinger. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle proves that nature does not allow us to measure the position and velocity of a single particle (let alone the whole universe) with perfection, no matter how precise our measuring instruments. Schrodinger developed what is known as Schrodinger equation. This equation states that there is a wave associated with any particle (like the electron), and it is called the wavefunction and it is spread out to fill the whole universe. The wavefunction is stronger in one region, which corresponds to the position of the particle and gets weaker farther away from this region but still exists even far away from the "position" of the particle. Schrodinger equation is very good at predicting how particles like electrons behave under different circumstances. DUAL ASPECTS
The subatomic units of matter are very abstract entities, which have a dual aspect. Depending on how we look at them, they appear sometimes as particles, sometimes as waves; and this dual nature is also exhibited by light which can take the form of electromagnetic waves or of particles. It seems impossible to accept that something can be, at the same time, a particle-i.e., an entity confined to a very small volume-and a wave, which is spread out over a large region of space. This contradiction gave rise to the formulation of the quantum theory. Max Planck discovered that the energy of heat radiation is not emitted continuously, but appears in the form of "energy packets." Einstein called these energy packets "quanta" (quantum is singular) and recognized them as a fundamental aspect of nature. The light quanta are called photons, which are massless and always travel with the speed of light.
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
In Ayathul Kursi, we read "….His throne includeth the heavens and the earth…" ( Qur'an, 2: 255).
From this verse the Muslims understand that Allah (SWT) is present everywhere in the universe.
Again we read in Surah Qaaf "… We are nearer to him than his jugular vein."( Qur'an, 50: 16).
From this verse the Muslims understand that Allah (SWT) is closer to us than our jugular vein.
So what is the Reality? Apparently, there seems to be some contradiction for those who have no knowledge of Duality.
A PARTICLE AT TWO PLACES AT THE SAME TIME
Let us assume that we are studying the position of a light photon traveling in space. It has been shown that this photon has a wavefunction as introduced by Schrodinger equation. The wavefunction peaks at the position of the photon. Now if this photon encounters a half-silvered mirror, tilted at 45° to the light beam (a half-silvered mirror is a mirror, which reflects exactly half of the light, which impinges upon it, while the remaining half is transmitted directly through the mirror), the photon's wavefunction splits into two, with one part reflected off to the side and the other part continuing in the same direction in which the photon started. The wavefunction is said to be "doubly peaked." Since each "part" of the wavefunction is describing a position that may be light-years away from the other position given by the other "part" of the wavefunction, we can conclude that the photon has found itself to be in two places at once, more than a light-year distant from one another! Someone might say that this previous assessment is not real. What is happening really is that the photon has a 50 percent probability that it is in one of the places and a 50 percent probability that it is in the other? No, that's simply not true! No matter for how long it has traveled, there is always the possibility that the two parts of the photons' beam may be reflected back so that they encounter one another, for a much awaited "reunion". If it was a simple matter of probability, the photon would be either on one position "OR" the other, and there would not be any need for "reunion" with the other probability. So as long as there is any possibility that the wavefunction will be reduced to one peak again (as it was before the photon hit the half-silvered mirror); the photon in question shall behave as one photon in two places at the same time!
In the experiment presented here, a light beam encounters a half-silvered mirror angled 45° to the light beam, splitting the beam into two. The two parts of this light beam is brought back again to the same point (where a second half-silvered mirror is placed) by using a pair of fully-silvered mirrors .Two photocells (A & B) are placed in the direct line of the two beams in order to find the where about of the examined photon. What do we find? If it were merely the case that there were a 50 % chance that the photon followed one route and a 50 % chance that it followed the other, then we should find a 50 % probability that one of the detectors registers the photon and a 50 % probability that the other one does. However, that is not what happens. If the two possible routes are exactly equal in length, then it turns out that there is a 100 % probability that the photon reaches the detector A, lying in the direction of the photon's initial motion and a 0 % probability that it reaches the other detector B (the photon is certain to strike detector A).
What does this tell us about the reality of the photon's state of existence between its first and last encounter with a half-reflecting mirror? It seems inescapable that the photon must, in some sense have actually traveled both routes at once! For if an absorbing screen is placed in the way of either of the two routes, then it becomes equally probable that A or B is reached; but when both routes are open (and of equal length) only A can be reached. Blocking off one of the routes actually allows B to be reached! With both routes open, the photon somehow "knows" that it is not permitted to reach B, so it must have actually felt out both routes. What is the Reality ? (Qur'an, 69: 1-3)
EPR PARADOX
Locality and non- locality You are spending the summer in Europe. Your mother calls you from California to tell you that you have inherited a large amount of money from your billionaire grandpa. A whole 70 million dollars. You are flying from happiness. What happened in San Francisco - where your mother lives - influenced you seven thousand miles away. Your mum's voice - the cause of your pleasure - had to travel seven thousand miles, and although it took only a tiny fraction of a second to reach your ears, yet it consumed "some" time. So the cause of your pleasure had to travel through space for some time till it influences you. This is called "locality". On the other hand non-locality means that an event at one place shall affect another event, far away from it, instantly. Although this is against special relativity -which prohibits any signal to travel faster than light - it was proved true in quantum mechanics. What is the Reality ? (Qur'an , 69:1-3) The EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen) Paradox introduces a class of experiments, which turn out to involve some of the strangest consequences of quantum mechanics. This experiment involves a pair of particles, or physical systems, which interact and then move apart. Quantum theory shows that the results of measurements on one particle enable us to predict the results of corresponding measurements on the other particle.That is because both particles were "one" physical system. Now if we perform a measurement on one particle, the wavefunction shall jump to assume the value of the measurement on this particle. But what about the second particle, since this system was "one" system, this means that a measurement (or jumping) at particle 1 implies an instantaneous measurement (or jumping) at particle 2.
Because the experiment involves some advanced physical properties of particles (spin, polarization…), we designed an analogous experiment using colors so the concept of non-locality can be understood easily. (This experiment is not real.)
Suppose that we have a white particle. This particle was then split into two particles: a green particle and a magenta particle. Now imagine that the two particles moved in opposite directions at the speed of light for 10 years, so that they eventually were 20 light years apart. Now according to quantum mechanics, any measurement (trying to determine the color of a particle) on particle 1 shall determine the outcome of measurement on particle 2. So if we examined the color of particle 1 and found it to be green, then the other particle is automatically magenta.
Now suppose you decided to inspect or measure the color of particle 1 in a red light chamber, and found it yellow (green + red). According to quantum mechanics, at the exact same time, the second particle has turned blue, so that the sum of the colors of the two particles remains white. Now how did particle 2 "know" about particle 1 measurement and how come it was affected by it? What is the Reality? (Qur'an, 69:1-3)
SCHRODINGER'S CAT
What happens if we designed an experiment where a quantum event would have a direct impact on a large object like…a cat!
Imagine a sealed container, so perfectly constructed that no physical influence can pass either inwards or outwards across its walls. With the cat inside the container, there is also a device that can be triggered by some quantum event. The quantum event is the triggering of a photocell by a photon, where the photon had been emitted by some light source, and then reflected off a half-silvered mirror. The reflection at the mirror splits the photon quantum state (wave function) into two separate parts; one of which is reflected and the other is transmitted through the mirror. The reflected part of the photon wave function is focused on the photocell, so if the photons are registered by the photocell, it has been reflected .In that case, the cyanide is released and the cat is killed. If the photocell doesn't register, the photon was transmitted through the half-silvered mirror to the wall behind, and the cat is safe. Now, let us take the viewpoint of the physicist outside the container. According to the outside observer, no "measurement" has actually taken place, so the quantum state of the entire system is nothing but a linear superposition between alternatives right up to the scale of the cat (Schrödinger equation). Both alternatives must be present in the state. So, according to the outside observer, the cat is in a linear superposition of being dead and alive at the same time! What is the Reality? (Qur'an, 69:1-3)
(Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is the foremost exponent in the world to interpret the Qur'an Al-Kareem, in the light of modern knowledge-Editor)
What is the Reality?
Ah, what will convey unto thee what the reality is! "
……..Al-Qur'an, Surah Al-Haqqah, (The Reality), 69: 1-3
For thousands of years man has been trying to understand the nature of physical reality, consciousness, the purpose of life, the reality of nature and many, many, mysteries of the life and the universe.
For the last 100 years we have seen the introduction of quantum theory, quantum mechanics and quantum physics that have focused on quantum computation to consciousness, parallel universes and the very nature of physical reality. We are not aware of the extraordinary range of scientific and practical applications that quantum mechanics strengthened: almost 30 percent of the United States GNP (gross national product) is based on the inventions made possible by quantum mechanics, such as semiconductors in computer chips to lasers, CD (compact-disc) players, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in medical centers. Quantum mechanics was instrumental in predicting positrons (antimatter), understanding radioactivity that lead to nuclear power, explaining superconductivity, and describing interactions such as those between light and matter that lead to the invention of the laser and of radiowaves and nuclei that lead to MRI.
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics is a branch of physics, which deals with the behavior of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale. Its concept frequently conflicts with common sense notions. The business of Quantum Mechanics is to describe and account for the world-on the small scale-actually and not as we imagine it or would like it to be. The world of Quantum Mechanics is strange, fascinating, mysterious and very intellectual. On the other hand the word "Quantum Mechanics" is repelling, boring, uninteresting and very dull. Most of us shy away from the word Quantum Mechanics, whenever it is mentioned.
Consider for example the “classical” atom, i.e. the solar system model of the atom as introduced by Rutherford in 1911. The basic flaw with this “classical” atom is that as the orbiting electron circles the nucleus, it should emit electromagnetic waves of an intensity increasing rapidly to infinity in a tiny
fraction of a second, as it spirals inwards and plunges into the nucleus. However, nothing like this is observed. Thus our observation contradicts our “classical” physics theory. This is why Quantum theory, which certainly was not wished upon by scientists, was forced upon them despite their great reluctance. They found themselves driven into this strange, and in many ways, philosophically unsatisfying view of the world.
Thanks God the real world is neither entirely classical nor quantum. On the “large” scale, the world seems to behave rationally according to the classical theory. However as you go “smaller”, it starts to act in a strange, peculiar way to save itself from extinction.
Now what if we were living in an entirely classical (non-quantum) world?
The answer is simple. There would be no world, classical or other, to live in. In a purely classical world, the atoms would not exist, as the electrons would be sucked into the nucleus, transforming the world into a concentrated, dense material, in a fraction of a second.
One might say that since this awkward quantum theory deals with the very “tiny”, who cares? Wrong. As a matter of fact the very existence of solid bodies, the strength and physical properties of materials, the nature of chemistry, the colors of substances, the phenomena of freezing and boiling, the reliability of inheritance, these, and many familiar properties, require the quantum theory for their explanations.
The World without the knowledge of Quantum Mechanics
On the other hand, quantum theory has been an outstanding successful theory and underlies nearly all of modern science and technology. It governs the behavior of transistors and integrated circuits, which are the essential components of electronics devices such as television and computers, as mentioned earlier, and is also the basis of modern chemistry and biology. In short, it is almost impossible to imagine the modern world without the contributions of quantum theory. Quantum theory as we know it today arouse out of two independent later schemes which were innovated by a pair of young remarkable physicists: a 24 year old German, Werner Heisenberg, and an Austrian, Erwin Schrodinger. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle proves that nature does not allow us to measure the position and velocity of a single particle (let alone the whole universe) with perfection, no matter how precise our measuring instruments. Schrodinger developed what is known as Schrodinger equation. This equation states that there is a wave associated with any particle (like the electron), and it is called the wavefunction and it is spread out to fill the whole universe. The wavefunction is stronger in one region, which corresponds to the position of the particle and gets weaker farther away from this region but still exists even far away from the "position" of the particle. Schrodinger equation is very good at predicting how particles like electrons behave under different circumstances. DUAL ASPECTS
The subatomic units of matter are very abstract entities, which have a dual aspect. Depending on how we look at them, they appear sometimes as particles, sometimes as waves; and this dual nature is also exhibited by light which can take the form of electromagnetic waves or of particles. It seems impossible to accept that something can be, at the same time, a particle-i.e., an entity confined to a very small volume-and a wave, which is spread out over a large region of space. This contradiction gave rise to the formulation of the quantum theory. Max Planck discovered that the energy of heat radiation is not emitted continuously, but appears in the form of "energy packets." Einstein called these energy packets "quanta" (quantum is singular) and recognized them as a fundamental aspect of nature. The light quanta are called photons, which are massless and always travel with the speed of light.
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
In Ayathul Kursi, we read "….His throne includeth the heavens and the earth…" ( Qur'an, 2: 255).
From this verse the Muslims understand that Allah (SWT) is present everywhere in the universe.
Again we read in Surah Qaaf "… We are nearer to him than his jugular vein."( Qur'an, 50: 16).
From this verse the Muslims understand that Allah (SWT) is closer to us than our jugular vein.
So what is the Reality? Apparently, there seems to be some contradiction for those who have no knowledge of Duality.
A PARTICLE AT TWO PLACES AT THE SAME TIME
Let us assume that we are studying the position of a light photon traveling in space. It has been shown that this photon has a wavefunction as introduced by Schrodinger equation. The wavefunction peaks at the position of the photon. Now if this photon encounters a half-silvered mirror, tilted at 45° to the light beam (a half-silvered mirror is a mirror, which reflects exactly half of the light, which impinges upon it, while the remaining half is transmitted directly through the mirror), the photon's wavefunction splits into two, with one part reflected off to the side and the other part continuing in the same direction in which the photon started. The wavefunction is said to be "doubly peaked." Since each "part" of the wavefunction is describing a position that may be light-years away from the other position given by the other "part" of the wavefunction, we can conclude that the photon has found itself to be in two places at once, more than a light-year distant from one another! Someone might say that this previous assessment is not real. What is happening really is that the photon has a 50 percent probability that it is in one of the places and a 50 percent probability that it is in the other? No, that's simply not true! No matter for how long it has traveled, there is always the possibility that the two parts of the photons' beam may be reflected back so that they encounter one another, for a much awaited "reunion". If it was a simple matter of probability, the photon would be either on one position "OR" the other, and there would not be any need for "reunion" with the other probability. So as long as there is any possibility that the wavefunction will be reduced to one peak again (as it was before the photon hit the half-silvered mirror); the photon in question shall behave as one photon in two places at the same time!
In the experiment presented here, a light beam encounters a half-silvered mirror angled 45° to the light beam, splitting the beam into two. The two parts of this light beam is brought back again to the same point (where a second half-silvered mirror is placed) by using a pair of fully-silvered mirrors .Two photocells (A & B) are placed in the direct line of the two beams in order to find the where about of the examined photon. What do we find? If it were merely the case that there were a 50 % chance that the photon followed one route and a 50 % chance that it followed the other, then we should find a 50 % probability that one of the detectors registers the photon and a 50 % probability that the other one does. However, that is not what happens. If the two possible routes are exactly equal in length, then it turns out that there is a 100 % probability that the photon reaches the detector A, lying in the direction of the photon's initial motion and a 0 % probability that it reaches the other detector B (the photon is certain to strike detector A).
What does this tell us about the reality of the photon's state of existence between its first and last encounter with a half-reflecting mirror? It seems inescapable that the photon must, in some sense have actually traveled both routes at once! For if an absorbing screen is placed in the way of either of the two routes, then it becomes equally probable that A or B is reached; but when both routes are open (and of equal length) only A can be reached. Blocking off one of the routes actually allows B to be reached! With both routes open, the photon somehow "knows" that it is not permitted to reach B, so it must have actually felt out both routes. What is the Reality ? (Qur'an, 69: 1-3)
EPR PARADOX
Locality and non- locality You are spending the summer in Europe. Your mother calls you from California to tell you that you have inherited a large amount of money from your billionaire grandpa. A whole 70 million dollars. You are flying from happiness. What happened in San Francisco - where your mother lives - influenced you seven thousand miles away. Your mum's voice - the cause of your pleasure - had to travel seven thousand miles, and although it took only a tiny fraction of a second to reach your ears, yet it consumed "some" time. So the cause of your pleasure had to travel through space for some time till it influences you. This is called "locality". On the other hand non-locality means that an event at one place shall affect another event, far away from it, instantly. Although this is against special relativity -which prohibits any signal to travel faster than light - it was proved true in quantum mechanics. What is the Reality ? (Qur'an , 69:1-3) The EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen) Paradox introduces a class of experiments, which turn out to involve some of the strangest consequences of quantum mechanics. This experiment involves a pair of particles, or physical systems, which interact and then move apart. Quantum theory shows that the results of measurements on one particle enable us to predict the results of corresponding measurements on the other particle.That is because both particles were "one" physical system. Now if we perform a measurement on one particle, the wavefunction shall jump to assume the value of the measurement on this particle. But what about the second particle, since this system was "one" system, this means that a measurement (or jumping) at particle 1 implies an instantaneous measurement (or jumping) at particle 2.
Because the experiment involves some advanced physical properties of particles (spin, polarization…), we designed an analogous experiment using colors so the concept of non-locality can be understood easily. (This experiment is not real.)
Suppose that we have a white particle. This particle was then split into two particles: a green particle and a magenta particle. Now imagine that the two particles moved in opposite directions at the speed of light for 10 years, so that they eventually were 20 light years apart. Now according to quantum mechanics, any measurement (trying to determine the color of a particle) on particle 1 shall determine the outcome of measurement on particle 2. So if we examined the color of particle 1 and found it to be green, then the other particle is automatically magenta.
Now suppose you decided to inspect or measure the color of particle 1 in a red light chamber, and found it yellow (green + red). According to quantum mechanics, at the exact same time, the second particle has turned blue, so that the sum of the colors of the two particles remains white. Now how did particle 2 "know" about particle 1 measurement and how come it was affected by it? What is the Reality? (Qur'an, 69:1-3)
SCHRODINGER'S CAT
What happens if we designed an experiment where a quantum event would have a direct impact on a large object like…a cat!
Imagine a sealed container, so perfectly constructed that no physical influence can pass either inwards or outwards across its walls. With the cat inside the container, there is also a device that can be triggered by some quantum event. The quantum event is the triggering of a photocell by a photon, where the photon had been emitted by some light source, and then reflected off a half-silvered mirror. The reflection at the mirror splits the photon quantum state (wave function) into two separate parts; one of which is reflected and the other is transmitted through the mirror. The reflected part of the photon wave function is focused on the photocell, so if the photons are registered by the photocell, it has been reflected .In that case, the cyanide is released and the cat is killed. If the photocell doesn't register, the photon was transmitted through the half-silvered mirror to the wall behind, and the cat is safe. Now, let us take the viewpoint of the physicist outside the container. According to the outside observer, no "measurement" has actually taken place, so the quantum state of the entire system is nothing but a linear superposition between alternatives right up to the scale of the cat (Schrödinger equation). Both alternatives must be present in the state. So, according to the outside observer, the cat is in a linear superposition of being dead and alive at the same time! What is the Reality? (Qur'an, 69:1-3)
(Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is the foremost exponent in the world to interpret the Qur'an Al-Kareem, in the light of modern knowledge-Editor)
Music Therapy
"Music is the medicine of the future," said Edgar Cayce in 1947 and who healed thousands of people while in a Trance State.
Currently there is an aversion to music by some of the Ulema (religious scholars) in the Islamic world. This paper analyzes the Islamic perspective on music and singing. It concludes that utilization of music as a therapeutic agent in Medicine is not haram or forbidden. There is documentary evidence that shows the power of music can be tapped to heal the body, strengthen the mind and unlock the creative spirit. Published papers and Journal articles offer dramatic accounts of how doctors, musicians, and healthcare professionals use music to deal with everything from anxiety to cancer, high blood pressure, chronic pain, dyslexia, even mental illness. During childbirth, music can relieve expectant mothers' anxiety and help release endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, dramatically decreasing the need for anesthesia. Exposure to sound, music and other acoustical vibrations can have a lifelong effect on health, learning, and behavior. They stimulate learning and memory, strengthen listening abilities. Music has been used as a treatment or cure from migraines to substance abuse.
One thousand years ago, the Muslim Physicians were in the forefront in the world of medicine with innovations and therapeutic techniques that are considered modern in the 21st century. They treated mental illnesses by confining the patients in asylums with 21st century techniques of music therapy. It is not surprising to know that at Fez, Morocco, an asylum for the mentally ill had been built early in the 8th century, and for the insane asylums were built by the Arabs also in Baghdad in 705 A.D., in Cairo in 800 A.D., and in Damascus and Aleppo in 1270 A.D. In addition to baths, drugs, kind and benevolent treatment given to the mentally ill, musico-therapy and occupational therapy were also employed. These therapies were highly developed. Special choirs and live music bands were brought daily to entertain the patients by providing singing and musical performances and comic performers as well.
Malik al-Mansur Sayf al-Din Qalawun built the Al-Mansuri Hospital in Cairo in 683 AH (1284 AD). The most outstanding characteristic of this hospital was that, like the advanced hospitals in the 21st century, provision were made to entertain patients with light music. Professional storytellers were appointed to narrate stories and jokes to patients (Radio, TV, and PC have replaced these today). Mu'adhdhinun sang religious songs in their melodious voices before the morning 'adhaan (call for prayer) so that afflicted patients might forget their suffering. It is interesting to note that this hospital is rendering its services even to the present time.
MEDICAL BENEFITS
Music therapy has been lost for more than 1,000 years both in the Muslim countries as well as in the most advanced countries or developed countries in the West. In the last three-decades or so, tremendous interest has been shown in the Western countries in the application of music therapy to treat several diseases and ailments. No one knows exactly how music heals, but it looks like our brains are wired to respond to it. Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music("Music on the Mind" by Sharon Begley, Newsweek, July 24, 2000, pp 50-52). Dr. Clive Robbins who is a cofounder of the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University in New York City says, "There is something intrinsically musical about the brain's neurological structure and the muscular function of the human organism. At a nonverbal level, music activates our minds, integrates our attention, and seems to help regulate some body functions." Dr Robbins has treated a cerebral palsy child with music therapy making the child to learn to balance his body and coordinate the movement of his limbs. The child is also learning to communicate and made him grow motivated and intent.
The right song seems to work in more than one way--distracting us from pain, boosting mood, reviving old memories, even prompting the body to match its rhythms. Music has long been appreciated for its calming effects, but new research shows it also may have the power to restore and keep us healthy. Soothing sounds, from Tibetan chants to Beethoven symphonies, are being given scientific credit for preventing colds, easing labor pain and even boosting anti-aging hormones. One study found that surgery patients who listened to comforting music recovered more quickly and felt less pain than those who did not. The International Journal of Arts Medicine reports that infants in intensive care go home three days earlier eat better and gain more weight if the staff talks and sings to them.
Clinical studies and anecdotal evidence from music therapists suggest that the sound of music that is soothing and comfortable….
Lowers cortisol, a stress hormone, as much as 25 %
Boosts endorphins, the body's natural opiates or feel-good drugs.
Reduces pain after surgery and reduces the need for sedatives and pain relievers
Make patients recover from surgery faster and with less pain
May prevent colds
Raises blood levels of Immunoglobin A(immune system fighter) to a whopping 14.1 %
Eases labor without drugs
Helps preemies in intensive care
May stimulate neural connections in the brain and promote spatial ability and memory in children
Lowers blood pressure as much as 5 points, reduces heart rate, improves cardiac output, relaxes muscle tension
Manages nonpharmacologically pain and discomfort
Improves mood and mobility of people with Parkinson's disease
Decreases nausea during chemotherapy
Helps patients participate in medical treatment and decreases length of hospital stay
Relieves anxiety and reduces stress
Eases depression
Enhances concentration and creativity
Brings positive changes in mood and emotional states
Increases awareness of self and environment
Gives a sense of control over life through successful experiences
Provides an outlet for expressions of feelings
Improves memory recall which contributes to reminiscence and satisfaction with life
In addition, music therapy may allow for:
Emotional intimacy with families and caregivers
Relaxation for the entire family
Meaningful time spent together in a positive, creative way
Exciting new research suggests that our brains respond to music almost as if it were medicine. Music may regulate some body functions, synchronize motor skills, stimulate mind and `even make us smarter.
To take advantage of music's healing power, one need not go to the music store at all with the prescription. The home remedies one needs are probably already in one's music collection. According to Suzanne Hanser, D Ed, a lecturer in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, "There is no set prescription or a particular piece of music that will make everyone feel better or more relax. What counts is musical taste, kinds of memories, feelings and associations a piece of music brings to mind. Some people relax to classical music, others like the Moody Blues. The key is to individualize your musical selections."
DEPRESSION
Research indicates that for 20 women and men whose ages ranged between 61 and 86, moods rose and depression fell when they listened to familiar music they selected while practicing various stress-reduction techniques- on their own or with the help of a music therapist-- according to a study from Stanford University School of Medicine. On the other hand a control group who missed out on the music and the exercises saw no improvement during the 8-week study period. It helps to perform gentle exercises depending on one's fitness level, while the music plays. The movements should be light and flowing. Breathe to the music. Gently come to rest at the end of the music.
INSOMNIA
Research indicates that 24 out of 25 people with sleeping problems nod off more quickly, snooze for longer periods of time or get back to sleep more easily after a middle-of-the-night awakening after listening to classical and New Age music, according to a study from the University of Louisville School of Nursing, in Louisville, Kentucky. The music must be quiet, melodic with a slow beat and few, if any, rhythmic accents. To be effective one should skip the after-dinner coffee or tea, and avoid telephone calls and TV after 9 PM. Softer and quieter music should be played as bedtime approaches. The listening of music should continue in bed with a tape recorder or CD player equipped with a silent on/off switch. One should lie quietly, taking even, deep breaths.
STRESS
Many studies have found that soothing melodies can ease anxious feelings and quiet both blood pressure and heart rate…even under very stressful conditions. Everyday stress responds to music too. The music selected to listen should be such that it must grab your attention and at the same time relax your body, so that all of your worries of the day, such as your concern about what has happened earlier and your plans for what should happen in the future should slip away. Slow music, like a love song sung by a great voice or a calm instrumental piece may be perfect. If a slow tune gives your mind time to fret or obsess, switch to something livelier. The best way to listen is to sit or lie down in a comfortable position, in a place where there is no disturbance. After a few minutes one can perform a relaxation exercise.
PAIN
One study from Yale University School of medicine found that people who listened to their favorite music while awake during surgical procedure needed smaller amounts of sedative and pain medications than those who did not hear music. Physical discomforts from postoperative pain to chronic aches can be eased with flowing melodies and distracting rhythms, music therapists and researchers say.
Dr. Alicia A. Clair, Ph.D. who is a board-certified music therapist and professor and director of music therapy at the University of Kansas in Lawrence says that music can bring transitory relief from short-term as well as long-term pain and discomforts such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Gentle and soothing stress-reducing music is helpful which can relax and distracts the mind. Martha Burke, a board-certified music therapist in Durham, North Carolina says, "Gently flowing music or music with a slow, steady pulse can help promote relaxation, which can then alter patient's perception of pain. Soothing music can lower the heart rate and breathing rate, leading to further relaxation and reduces tension that comes with the pain. We know music is so incredibly complex-- it has tempo, rhythm, melody, and harmony. And so it stimulates the brain in many ways at once."
BRAIN DAMAGE
Samuel Wong, a Harvard-trained physician based in New York City, plays musical instruments to help patients with brain damage (from stroke) and Alzheimer's disease reconnect to the world. He is also music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Honolulu Symphony. "When brain damage (from stroke, Alzheimer's disease, etc) leaves a devastated mental landscape, music "builds a bridge" that allows patients to reconnect with the outside world. The study of medicine has informed my performance of music, and my learning of music has deepened my role in healing," he says.
In 1996, researchers at Colorado State University in Fort Collins tried giving 10 stroke victims 30 minutes of rhythmic stimulation each day for three weeks. Compared with untreated patients, they showed significant improvements in their ability to walk steadily. People with Parkinson's disease enjoyed similar benefits.
Stroke victims and patients with Parkinson's disease walked more steadily and with better balance and speed if they practiced while hearing a balanced metrical beat or a piece of music with a powerful, even beat. A musical beat from any genre seemed to provide a rhythmic cue, which has a powerful, organizing effect on the brain's motor skills; it helps harmonize movement almost at once, according to researchers.
Scottish researchers have found that a daily dose of music significantly brightens the moods of institutionalized stroke victims. When daily music therapy was administered for 12 weeks the patients were less depressed and anxious, and more stable and sociable than other patients in the same building. Music therapy has also proved useful in the management of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.
SOUNDS OF HEALING
Mitchell L. Gaynor, MD, Director of medical oncology and integrative medicine at New York's Strang Cancer Prevention Center (affiliated with the Cornell Medical Center) and author of the new Hardcover book "Sounds of Healing: A physician Reveals the Therapeutic Power of Sound, Voice, and Music" (Published by Broadway Books, June 1999, $25); says, " More doctors are seeing a connection between hormonious sound and health. If we are around very harmonious people and harmonious vibrations and harmonious sounds, we begin to feel better. I have never found anything more powerful than sound and voice and music to begin to heal and transform every aspect of people's lives. It can really change people's lives. We know that music is capable of enhancing immune function, lowering heart rate, lowering stress-related hormones like cortisol that raise our blood pressure and depress our immune systems. It also trims complications after heart attack, calms anxiety, slows breathing and increases production of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. Consider: 80% of stimuli that reach our brains come through our ears. Even before we were born, music makes a difference. Hearing is the first sense to develop, when the fetus is only 18 weeks old (Quran, 32:9). We know that the unborn child hears for literally half the pregnancy and is affected profoundly by what it hears. Studies show music by Mozart and Vivaldi actually can bring down fetal heart rate, calm brain waves and reduce the baby's kicking. Rock music, on the other hand, appeared to drive fetuses to distraction, greatly increasing kicking. Our bodies are 70 % water, and that makes them excellent conductors for sound and vibration. We are not just hearing with our ears. We are literally feeling vibration sound with every cell in our bodies. Disharmony and noise, whether it's from traffic, the boss yelling at us about a deadline or a jackhammer on the street, can make us stressed, depressed and pessimistic -- all of which depress our immune systems. That's why disharmony can eventually lead to disease. Our own voices are very underutilized healing tools. Singing is a great way to tap music's healing power. If you are self-conscious, try chanting. Anyone can do it, and "you can't do it wrong. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as the incredible power of sound to affect every cell and every organ system in our bodies.
The Qur'an Says:
But He fashioned him in due proportion, and Breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) Hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): Little thanks do you give!
-----Surah Sajda, 32: 9 also 16: 78; 67: 23
Dr. Keith Moore, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Toronto School of Medicine, writes in his most popular Textbook on human embryology, (The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, Keith L. Moore, T. V. N. Persaud, Paperback, Published by Saunders W B Co ., March 1998 Price: $49.00) that the
-->human embryo gets first the ears (hearing), then the eyes (sight) and next the brain (feeling and understanding or metal faculties) in that order, as mentioned in the Qur'an in the above verses.
On the other hand very loud music with sounds louder than 90 decibels cause stress and ear damage. Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Cognitive Studies in Charlotte, NC, and author of "The Owner's Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind-Brain Research, Paper back, published by Bard Press, November 1999, says," Very loud music creates an altered state of consciousness akin to an alcoholic or drug-induced stupor that can become addictive. "
THE MOZART EFFECT
Don Campbell, a composer, music researcher and teacher, healer and the author of book " The Mozart Effect-Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind and Unlock the Creative Spirit", (published by Avon Books, New York, NY, October 1997, 332 pp) learned that he had a potentially fatal blood clot in an artery just below his brain. He shrunk the blood clot from more than an inch and a half in length to an eighth of an inch by humming quietly for three to four minutes at a time, up to seven times a day. He did this for three weeks before he went back for a second brain scan.
In "The Mozart Effect", Don Campbell, says " You know music can affect your mood: it can make you feel happy, enchanted, inspired, wistful, excited, empowered, comforted, and heroic. Particular sounds, tones and rhythms, can strengthen the mind, unlock the creative spirit, and miraculously, even heal the body. Exposure to sound, music, and other forms of vibration, beginning in utero, can have a life long effect on health, learning and behavior."
In conclusion, one should listen to a piece of music that one finds inspirational and uplifting. Dr. Ahmed Al-Kadi of Florida's Akbar Clinic conducted research on the healing power of listening to Qur'anic recitations. There is an urgent need for conducting more research on Music Therapy by Muslim Physicians both in the West and in the Muslim countries
Currently there is an aversion to music by some of the Ulema (religious scholars) in the Islamic world. This paper analyzes the Islamic perspective on music and singing. It concludes that utilization of music as a therapeutic agent in Medicine is not haram or forbidden. There is documentary evidence that shows the power of music can be tapped to heal the body, strengthen the mind and unlock the creative spirit. Published papers and Journal articles offer dramatic accounts of how doctors, musicians, and healthcare professionals use music to deal with everything from anxiety to cancer, high blood pressure, chronic pain, dyslexia, even mental illness. During childbirth, music can relieve expectant mothers' anxiety and help release endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, dramatically decreasing the need for anesthesia. Exposure to sound, music and other acoustical vibrations can have a lifelong effect on health, learning, and behavior. They stimulate learning and memory, strengthen listening abilities. Music has been used as a treatment or cure from migraines to substance abuse.
One thousand years ago, the Muslim Physicians were in the forefront in the world of medicine with innovations and therapeutic techniques that are considered modern in the 21st century. They treated mental illnesses by confining the patients in asylums with 21st century techniques of music therapy. It is not surprising to know that at Fez, Morocco, an asylum for the mentally ill had been built early in the 8th century, and for the insane asylums were built by the Arabs also in Baghdad in 705 A.D., in Cairo in 800 A.D., and in Damascus and Aleppo in 1270 A.D. In addition to baths, drugs, kind and benevolent treatment given to the mentally ill, musico-therapy and occupational therapy were also employed. These therapies were highly developed. Special choirs and live music bands were brought daily to entertain the patients by providing singing and musical performances and comic performers as well.
Malik al-Mansur Sayf al-Din Qalawun built the Al-Mansuri Hospital in Cairo in 683 AH (1284 AD). The most outstanding characteristic of this hospital was that, like the advanced hospitals in the 21st century, provision were made to entertain patients with light music. Professional storytellers were appointed to narrate stories and jokes to patients (Radio, TV, and PC have replaced these today). Mu'adhdhinun sang religious songs in their melodious voices before the morning 'adhaan (call for prayer) so that afflicted patients might forget their suffering. It is interesting to note that this hospital is rendering its services even to the present time.
MEDICAL BENEFITS
Music therapy has been lost for more than 1,000 years both in the Muslim countries as well as in the most advanced countries or developed countries in the West. In the last three-decades or so, tremendous interest has been shown in the Western countries in the application of music therapy to treat several diseases and ailments. No one knows exactly how music heals, but it looks like our brains are wired to respond to it. Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music("Music on the Mind" by Sharon Begley, Newsweek, July 24, 2000, pp 50-52). Dr. Clive Robbins who is a cofounder of the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University in New York City says, "There is something intrinsically musical about the brain's neurological structure and the muscular function of the human organism. At a nonverbal level, music activates our minds, integrates our attention, and seems to help regulate some body functions." Dr Robbins has treated a cerebral palsy child with music therapy making the child to learn to balance his body and coordinate the movement of his limbs. The child is also learning to communicate and made him grow motivated and intent.
The right song seems to work in more than one way--distracting us from pain, boosting mood, reviving old memories, even prompting the body to match its rhythms. Music has long been appreciated for its calming effects, but new research shows it also may have the power to restore and keep us healthy. Soothing sounds, from Tibetan chants to Beethoven symphonies, are being given scientific credit for preventing colds, easing labor pain and even boosting anti-aging hormones. One study found that surgery patients who listened to comforting music recovered more quickly and felt less pain than those who did not. The International Journal of Arts Medicine reports that infants in intensive care go home three days earlier eat better and gain more weight if the staff talks and sings to them.
Clinical studies and anecdotal evidence from music therapists suggest that the sound of music that is soothing and comfortable….
Lowers cortisol, a stress hormone, as much as 25 %
Boosts endorphins, the body's natural opiates or feel-good drugs.
Reduces pain after surgery and reduces the need for sedatives and pain relievers
Make patients recover from surgery faster and with less pain
May prevent colds
Raises blood levels of Immunoglobin A(immune system fighter) to a whopping 14.1 %
Eases labor without drugs
Helps preemies in intensive care
May stimulate neural connections in the brain and promote spatial ability and memory in children
Lowers blood pressure as much as 5 points, reduces heart rate, improves cardiac output, relaxes muscle tension
Manages nonpharmacologically pain and discomfort
Improves mood and mobility of people with Parkinson's disease
Decreases nausea during chemotherapy
Helps patients participate in medical treatment and decreases length of hospital stay
Relieves anxiety and reduces stress
Eases depression
Enhances concentration and creativity
Brings positive changes in mood and emotional states
Increases awareness of self and environment
Gives a sense of control over life through successful experiences
Provides an outlet for expressions of feelings
Improves memory recall which contributes to reminiscence and satisfaction with life
In addition, music therapy may allow for:
Emotional intimacy with families and caregivers
Relaxation for the entire family
Meaningful time spent together in a positive, creative way
Exciting new research suggests that our brains respond to music almost as if it were medicine. Music may regulate some body functions, synchronize motor skills, stimulate mind and `even make us smarter.
To take advantage of music's healing power, one need not go to the music store at all with the prescription. The home remedies one needs are probably already in one's music collection. According to Suzanne Hanser, D Ed, a lecturer in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, "There is no set prescription or a particular piece of music that will make everyone feel better or more relax. What counts is musical taste, kinds of memories, feelings and associations a piece of music brings to mind. Some people relax to classical music, others like the Moody Blues. The key is to individualize your musical selections."
DEPRESSION
Research indicates that for 20 women and men whose ages ranged between 61 and 86, moods rose and depression fell when they listened to familiar music they selected while practicing various stress-reduction techniques- on their own or with the help of a music therapist-- according to a study from Stanford University School of Medicine. On the other hand a control group who missed out on the music and the exercises saw no improvement during the 8-week study period. It helps to perform gentle exercises depending on one's fitness level, while the music plays. The movements should be light and flowing. Breathe to the music. Gently come to rest at the end of the music.
INSOMNIA
Research indicates that 24 out of 25 people with sleeping problems nod off more quickly, snooze for longer periods of time or get back to sleep more easily after a middle-of-the-night awakening after listening to classical and New Age music, according to a study from the University of Louisville School of Nursing, in Louisville, Kentucky. The music must be quiet, melodic with a slow beat and few, if any, rhythmic accents. To be effective one should skip the after-dinner coffee or tea, and avoid telephone calls and TV after 9 PM. Softer and quieter music should be played as bedtime approaches. The listening of music should continue in bed with a tape recorder or CD player equipped with a silent on/off switch. One should lie quietly, taking even, deep breaths.
STRESS
Many studies have found that soothing melodies can ease anxious feelings and quiet both blood pressure and heart rate…even under very stressful conditions. Everyday stress responds to music too. The music selected to listen should be such that it must grab your attention and at the same time relax your body, so that all of your worries of the day, such as your concern about what has happened earlier and your plans for what should happen in the future should slip away. Slow music, like a love song sung by a great voice or a calm instrumental piece may be perfect. If a slow tune gives your mind time to fret or obsess, switch to something livelier. The best way to listen is to sit or lie down in a comfortable position, in a place where there is no disturbance. After a few minutes one can perform a relaxation exercise.
PAIN
One study from Yale University School of medicine found that people who listened to their favorite music while awake during surgical procedure needed smaller amounts of sedative and pain medications than those who did not hear music. Physical discomforts from postoperative pain to chronic aches can be eased with flowing melodies and distracting rhythms, music therapists and researchers say.
Dr. Alicia A. Clair, Ph.D. who is a board-certified music therapist and professor and director of music therapy at the University of Kansas in Lawrence says that music can bring transitory relief from short-term as well as long-term pain and discomforts such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Gentle and soothing stress-reducing music is helpful which can relax and distracts the mind. Martha Burke, a board-certified music therapist in Durham, North Carolina says, "Gently flowing music or music with a slow, steady pulse can help promote relaxation, which can then alter patient's perception of pain. Soothing music can lower the heart rate and breathing rate, leading to further relaxation and reduces tension that comes with the pain. We know music is so incredibly complex-- it has tempo, rhythm, melody, and harmony. And so it stimulates the brain in many ways at once."
BRAIN DAMAGE
Samuel Wong, a Harvard-trained physician based in New York City, plays musical instruments to help patients with brain damage (from stroke) and Alzheimer's disease reconnect to the world. He is also music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Honolulu Symphony. "When brain damage (from stroke, Alzheimer's disease, etc) leaves a devastated mental landscape, music "builds a bridge" that allows patients to reconnect with the outside world. The study of medicine has informed my performance of music, and my learning of music has deepened my role in healing," he says.
In 1996, researchers at Colorado State University in Fort Collins tried giving 10 stroke victims 30 minutes of rhythmic stimulation each day for three weeks. Compared with untreated patients, they showed significant improvements in their ability to walk steadily. People with Parkinson's disease enjoyed similar benefits.
Stroke victims and patients with Parkinson's disease walked more steadily and with better balance and speed if they practiced while hearing a balanced metrical beat or a piece of music with a powerful, even beat. A musical beat from any genre seemed to provide a rhythmic cue, which has a powerful, organizing effect on the brain's motor skills; it helps harmonize movement almost at once, according to researchers.
Scottish researchers have found that a daily dose of music significantly brightens the moods of institutionalized stroke victims. When daily music therapy was administered for 12 weeks the patients were less depressed and anxious, and more stable and sociable than other patients in the same building. Music therapy has also proved useful in the management of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.
SOUNDS OF HEALING
Mitchell L. Gaynor, MD, Director of medical oncology and integrative medicine at New York's Strang Cancer Prevention Center (affiliated with the Cornell Medical Center) and author of the new Hardcover book "Sounds of Healing: A physician Reveals the Therapeutic Power of Sound, Voice, and Music" (Published by Broadway Books, June 1999, $25); says, " More doctors are seeing a connection between hormonious sound and health. If we are around very harmonious people and harmonious vibrations and harmonious sounds, we begin to feel better. I have never found anything more powerful than sound and voice and music to begin to heal and transform every aspect of people's lives. It can really change people's lives. We know that music is capable of enhancing immune function, lowering heart rate, lowering stress-related hormones like cortisol that raise our blood pressure and depress our immune systems. It also trims complications after heart attack, calms anxiety, slows breathing and increases production of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. Consider: 80% of stimuli that reach our brains come through our ears. Even before we were born, music makes a difference. Hearing is the first sense to develop, when the fetus is only 18 weeks old (Quran, 32:9). We know that the unborn child hears for literally half the pregnancy and is affected profoundly by what it hears. Studies show music by Mozart and Vivaldi actually can bring down fetal heart rate, calm brain waves and reduce the baby's kicking. Rock music, on the other hand, appeared to drive fetuses to distraction, greatly increasing kicking. Our bodies are 70 % water, and that makes them excellent conductors for sound and vibration. We are not just hearing with our ears. We are literally feeling vibration sound with every cell in our bodies. Disharmony and noise, whether it's from traffic, the boss yelling at us about a deadline or a jackhammer on the street, can make us stressed, depressed and pessimistic -- all of which depress our immune systems. That's why disharmony can eventually lead to disease. Our own voices are very underutilized healing tools. Singing is a great way to tap music's healing power. If you are self-conscious, try chanting. Anyone can do it, and "you can't do it wrong. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as the incredible power of sound to affect every cell and every organ system in our bodies.
The Qur'an Says:
But He fashioned him in due proportion, and Breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) Hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): Little thanks do you give!
-----Surah Sajda, 32: 9 also 16: 78; 67: 23
Dr. Keith Moore, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Toronto School of Medicine, writes in his most popular Textbook on human embryology, (The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, Keith L. Moore, T. V. N. Persaud, Paperback, Published by Saunders W B Co ., March 1998 Price: $49.00) that the
-->human embryo gets first the ears (hearing), then the eyes (sight) and next the brain (feeling and understanding or metal faculties) in that order, as mentioned in the Qur'an in the above verses.
On the other hand very loud music with sounds louder than 90 decibels cause stress and ear damage. Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Cognitive Studies in Charlotte, NC, and author of "The Owner's Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind-Brain Research, Paper back, published by Bard Press, November 1999, says," Very loud music creates an altered state of consciousness akin to an alcoholic or drug-induced stupor that can become addictive. "
THE MOZART EFFECT
Don Campbell, a composer, music researcher and teacher, healer and the author of book " The Mozart Effect-Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind and Unlock the Creative Spirit", (published by Avon Books, New York, NY, October 1997, 332 pp) learned that he had a potentially fatal blood clot in an artery just below his brain. He shrunk the blood clot from more than an inch and a half in length to an eighth of an inch by humming quietly for three to four minutes at a time, up to seven times a day. He did this for three weeks before he went back for a second brain scan.
In "The Mozart Effect", Don Campbell, says " You know music can affect your mood: it can make you feel happy, enchanted, inspired, wistful, excited, empowered, comforted, and heroic. Particular sounds, tones and rhythms, can strengthen the mind, unlock the creative spirit, and miraculously, even heal the body. Exposure to sound, music, and other forms of vibration, beginning in utero, can have a life long effect on health, learning and behavior."
In conclusion, one should listen to a piece of music that one finds inspirational and uplifting. Dr. Ahmed Al-Kadi of Florida's Akbar Clinic conducted research on the healing power of listening to Qur'anic recitations. There is an urgent need for conducting more research on Music Therapy by Muslim Physicians both in the West and in the Muslim countries
Music and Muslims
Music and language are uniquely human. A world without either would be hard to imagine. "Both language and music are characteristics of the human species that seem to be universal," says the book The Musical Mind. They are aspects of our need to communicate. So it could be said that, as is true of language, when music "speaks" our emotions "listen." Music resounds through creation from the blowing wind, to the chirping birds, to the human voice and the tune of the harp. Music naturally occurs. The three great elemental sounds of Nature are music. Is the sound of rain, the sound of wind, and the sound of the ocean on a beach not reminiscent of an awe-inspiring rhythm? The sound produced by a rivulet cascading merrily over pebbles and stones, is music. Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music ("Music on the Mind" by Sharon Begley. Newsweek, July 24, 2000, pp.50-52) Music is a marvelous and extremely powerful tool. The Qur'an is music. When the Qur'an is intoned with ilhaan and tajweed: is that not music? The recitation of the sacred Qur'anic text in rhythmic tones brought into being and developed the religious music of Al-Islam; this was a new branch of music. All throughout the Noble Book are images of music, such as trumpets blasting, thunder, angels singing praises, voices calling. The Arabic language lends to its prose a sweetness and melody. The Qur'an recited by the master chanter or Qari, is heard daily in many parts of the world; it is unequaled in charm and harmony. Music is one of Allah's great gifts to man, a means of rejoicing unto thy Lord, and can be used as a healing to the body, mind and spirit. Music relaxation training is used to treat many stress-related illnesses that include high blood pressure, migraine headaches and ulcers. It has direct physiological effects on people. It can make us relax or remember, or have all sorts of feelings. Music can transform an environment by changing our state of mind. The harp has long been recognized as an instrument for healing and calming the mind. It is important to use music to educate, to heal, to inspire and to unite.
Is Music Permissible?
The question whether music is permissible at all began to be debated in the first century of Islam and the debate has continued to the present day. This debate has filled thousands of pages. Early religious authorities had opposed music due to the role it had played in society. This 'new music' was related more and more with a life of pleasure and a taste of luxury. It procured connotations of flightiness and sensual indulgence, reinforced by the participation of women in music-making and by the dancing (often considered obscene) and the drinking of intoxicating beverages that were associated with it. Even the two sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah were not invulnerable from these temptations, and indeed they quickly became authentic centers of entertainment. Islamic music is divided into six periods. During the first period of Islam, and particularly during the reigns of the last two Khulafa-e-Rashideen (the rightly guided Caliphs), Hadrat Uthman(RA) and Hadrat Imam Ali(RA), Madinah became the center of intense musical activity. Despite frequent campaigns against music by the religious authorities, professional musicians were welcomed in the houses of the rich and noble, and encouraged by lavish rewards. These musicians were mainly freed slaves of Persian origin, such as Tuwais (d. 92 AH/710 AD) and Khathir (d 64 AH/683 AD), who is said to have taught Arabic music to Nasheet, the Persian slave who became a famous musician. Among the female musicians of Arab origin 'Azza al-Mayla (d. 86 AH/705 AD) occupies the first place. Her house was a real cultural salon, visited by the literary and musical elite. Some of the rhythmical modes began to crystallize during this period; its most characteristic type of song is called the al-ghina' al-mutqan. (REF. The Dimension of Sound by A. Shiloah in The World of Islam, Ed. Bernard Lewis, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, pp. 161-180, 1976)
Under the Umayyads the center of musical interest moved to the new capital, Damascus. Some of the caliphs (Khulafa) had a real passion for music; consequently musical activity increased, musicians multiplied and their social status rose. With the Abbasid dynasty the capital shifted to Baghdad. Here, during the next two centuries, Islamic music attained its highest point. This was its golden age. Musicians continued to enjoy favor at the caliphs' court and to play an important part in the country's cultural life. Society was eager for knowledge of all kinds. The study of music was now obligatory for every educated man, part of the encyclopedic learning he was expected to acquire, and in the intellectual flowering, which reached a climax in the IV/10th century music played a role. At the same time, the musician was expected to be widely cultured. Music itself became highly sophisticated and began to be the subject of learned controversies between thinkers with different artistic conceptions. The melodic and rhythmic modes were definitively codified. Theories were evolved, practice described. Instruments themselves were perfected and standards of performance rose even higher. Among the great musicians were Ibn Misjah (d.169 AH/ 785 AD), Ibn Muhriz (d, 97 AH/ 715 AD), Ibn Surayj (13-108 AH/634-726AD), al-Gharid (d. 106 AH/724 AD), Siyyat (d. 169 AH/785 AD), Zalzaal (d. 175 AH/791 AD), Mukhariq (d. 229 AH/845 AD), 'Alluya and 'Amr ibn Baanaa (d 278 AH/891 AD). Distinguished female singers were Basbas, 'Ubayda, Shariyya, Dananir and Mahbuba. In Muslim Spain music continued to play a prominent part in spite of the worsening political situation.
The greatest of Arabic theorists, al-Farabi (d. 339 AH/ 950 AD), wrote in his Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir: 'Theory did not appear until practice had already achieved its highest development.' This was certainly the case by his own time.
There was no clear line of separation between sacred and secular music, and sacred music itself has throughout its long history oscillated between art and folk music. According to some of the traditions, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) approved the folk music and not the art music. Consequently art music was completely banished.
The Qur'an is the only text that proclaims absolute Divine Laws, "Shari'ah". What is haram is clearly haram and what is halal is clearly halal. On the theological level, the authorities to which the two sides appeal are the Qur'an, the Hadith, the writings of religious leaders, the opinions of mystics and legal precedents. The Qur'an provides no specific verdict one way or the other, so it was the hadith which was the main source of ammunition. Literal interpretation of texts was reinforced by reasoning by analogy.
Imam Al-Ghazali (d.505 AH/1111 AD) makes brilliant use of this method and the chapter devoted to music in his Ihya Ulum al-Deen (Vivification of the Religious Sciences) is a masterpiece. In it he says that there is something wrong with the man or woman who does not like music. He declared " One who is not moved by music is unsound of mind and intemperate; is far from spirituality and is denser than birds and beasts: because everyone is affected by melodious sounds." (ASK Joommal, Al-Balaagh, Supplement to August/September, 1985)
An African Muslim named Sa'id, who traveled widely, translated the songs of other countries into Arabic, and first worked out the system which became classic for Arabic music.
Singing has always been the most common and most loved form of music, partly no doubt because of the Arabs' fondness for poetry. Good songs and poetry have been in Islamic culture since the time of the Prophet (pbuh), and who himself listened to good poetry and encouraged Hassan bin Thabit (known as the Poet of the Prophet) to say the poetry in the praise of Allah and in the honor of His Religion and His messenger. Most often simple instruments accompany it. Early Muslims studied theories of sound and music, and the rhythmic measuring of music was practiced among the Arabs long before it was known in Europe and the use of the baton goes back to the eighth century, so the modern Drum Major is all unconsciously in their debt. They knew nothing of harmony and made little use of accent, but they adorned the melody by a comparison note now and again, which perhaps prepared the way for harmony, later developed in the West.
Since instrumental music was a part of pagan ways of worship, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade it to his followers, saying it was "the devil's muezzin, calling men to worship him."
His objections were soon ignored. Military bands accompanied armies and shared in the celebration of victories. They had drums, kettle-drums, pipes of many sorts, cymbals, and tambourines. Making musical instruments became a fine art.
The lute was the earliest stringed instrument; it was of many shapes and sizes. Then came the guitar-qitara, the harp, and the rabab, an instrument played with a bow. Skilled players could drive away fears and depression, as the young shepherd Prophet David (Dawood-peace be upon him) for King Saul. More modest fiddlers played at weddings, raveling from village, to village, as they do today using the same instruments.
Makkah and Madinah became centers of music. Musicians in gala attire accompanied the pilgrimage processions to Makkah, rivaling in interest even the festivities of the Hajj itself, for the people believed that rejoicing with music and companionship was preparation for he ecstasy of the sacred celebration.
(REF: Allah-the God of Islam, Muslim Life and Worship by Florence Mary Fitch, published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Co., Inc. New York, 1950 p.90)
Are Music and Singing Haram?
The following excerpts are taken from: Sharif Khan, " Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam," in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html).
One of the most outrageous statements by some of the Muslims who refuse to accept the law of God in the Quran is that music and singing are haram (Prohibited). The sincere Muslim who is following the Quran will not find in the Quran ANY PROHIBITION OF MUSIC OR SINGING. Quran is the book that God calls COMPLETE, PERFECT and FULLY DETAILED. God, the Most Merciful, NEVER prohibited music or singing in the Quran, but some scholars and their followers did, despite their knowledge with the Quran. The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), lived by, ruled by, preached and followed the Quran. God is the ONLY source of law (Qur'an, 6:114). No one can prohibit what God did not (Qur'an, 66:1). When the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) once did, God admonished him in public to remind the believers that ONLY GOD can prohibit. (See Qur'an, 66:1 and 33:37).
The prohibition of Music and singing cannot be found in the Quran because God did not prohibit them. The list of prohibitions in the Quran does not include Music or singing.
"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QUR'AN, 7:32).
Now and before responding to those Muslims who claim that Music and singing are Haram, let us ponder for few seconds at our universe and the way God created this world. While we might remember that Galileo once said, "Mathematics is the language in which God wrote the universe." it may be fair enough to say that Music is the basic sound of that universe.
Any keen observer of the universe will realize that the whole universe was created with music in every corner of it. Our heart beats, bowel sounds, breath sounds, the sound of our blood flow or even our brain waves are but music. The birds, the dolphins, the animals, the trees, the rain, the oceans, the wind and the clouds are all created with their own music. Those who are blind in the heart and deaf to the truth do not and cannot understand that music is in every corner of their universe. With music in every thing around us, it is naive to think that the One God who created all this music prohibited it. One of the most valuable gifts given to man is the voice box or the larynx, which is in reality a music box. It is one important instrument that allows us to communicate with each other and with other creatures around us. The arrival of the newborn to this life is announced by his/her scream, the best music to the mother's ear.
(1) First, it is interesting to see the inverted logic of these people. After finding no proof in the Quran to prohibit music, by their own admission, they resort to the weaker sources one after the other to prove what they could not find in the Quran. This is almost like failing to have the approval of the president of the country on a matter, so they get the approval of his house keeper. If they fail, then they get the approval of his servant who cleans his room then claim that the approval they have is the approval of the president. Those who refuse to accept the Quran as a complete book for this religion, are led by Satan into inventing all kinds of laws from sources outside the Quran.
(2) In every verse they used in an attempt to prove that music is Haram, they ended by concluding that the verse does not really prohibit Music. Despite that, they never got the message that God DID NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING. They also failed to understand that prohibition laws ONLY COME from God. When the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) gave any prohibitions it was FROM THE QURAN ONLY, and was not from his own. Here are the verses that they claim to prohibit music and singing:
a)Allah addresses the disbelievers of the Quraysh as follows, "Do you marvel at this statement, and laugh and do not weep, while you amuse yourselves (proudly) in vanities? Rather, prostrate before Allah and worship Him." (Qur'an, 53:59-62)
Because of the statement "amuse yourselves" these Muslims twisted the words and the logic to make a conclusion that music and singing is what is meant here. The word is general and indicates that any kind of amusement that keeps you from paying your duties to God is leading you to commit a sin. It does not make it haram or prohibited. If you amuse yourself by watching Baseball while forgetting to do your Salat-prayers on time then you are committing a sin but this does not make Baseball haram. If you amuse yourself by playing games with your children while forgetting to pray on time you are committing a sin but playing with your children will not be haram. If you listen to music or singing and forget to do your prayers then you commit a sin but music does not become haram. Remember that music is like air and water, it is not haram per se, but the way it is used in certain circumstances will control its status then. These group of Muslims find in human beings like sahaba, tabi'in, and later scholars of tafseer to prohibit for them what God did not. Al-Qurtubi, At-Tabari, Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ibn Jareer... etc. are more important to these people than Allah (SWT).
a) Allah (SWT) addresses Satan thus; "And excite any of them whom you can with your voice. Assault them with your cavalry and infantry, be a partner with them in their wealth and children, and make them promises. But Satan promises nothing but deceit" (Qur'an, 17:64)
Using this verse as a proof of prohibition of music and singing shows only how naive and misguided are these people. No intelligent human being can accept the voice here as pointing to music and singing. It is clear from this verse that there is no prohibition here. They quote here Ibn Abbas, as saying "the voice mentioned in the verse refers to any form of invitation which calls to disobedience to Allah." If this form of invitation is "talking nicely" to someone to make him/her disobey Allah, this does not make "talking nicely" haram. If the invitation here is accompanied by music or singing, this does not make the music or singing haram but rather it is the invitation to disobey God in any form that is haram. They do not like what God says in the Quran, but find nothing wrong in listening to Ibn Abbas even if they do not know who Ibn Abbas is.
b) The third verse, and the one most often referred to as evidence of the prohibition of music and singing (according to them) is found is Sura Luqman.
"And there are among men those who purchase idle talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path without knowledge, and those who throw ridicule upon it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment." (31:6)
Again, like the previous verse, using the statement "idle-talk" (lahwal hadeeth) to condemn music and singing is clearly corrupt. Idle-talk or idle-tales, can be any form of talk and not necessarily singing and music. Even a tale or story can be constructive and enlightening or idle, false and mischievous. The Arabic word for music is "musiqah". Musiqah means music. Hadeeth means tales. Are the learned Ulama suggesting that Allah (SWT) would use one word when he meant another? Allama Yusuf Ali in his commentary on the words "lahwal hadeeth" in the Qur'an 31:6, in his note 3584 says, " Life is taken seriously by men who realize the issues that hang upon it. But there are men of a frivolous turn of mind who prefer idle tales to true Realities and they are justly rebuked here. In the time of the holy Prophet there was a pagan, Nadhr ibn al-Haarith who preferred Persian romances to the Message of God, and turned away ignorant men from the preaching of God's Word". The Qur'an never mentions anywhere that music is haram.
NOW THAT QURAN DOES NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING, these people looked for other sources to do this for them. A look at what they claimed as hadith of the prophet (pbuh) will show their misguidance and confusion. Here is an example of what these people quote and claimed it to the prophet which is a clear lie. The prophet (pbuh) cannot deviate from the Quran.
"The Prophet (SAWS) said, "There will be (at some future time) people from my ummah (community of Muslims) who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk (by men), wine-drinking, and the use of musical instruments (ma'azif). Some people will stay at the side of a mountain and when their shepherd comes in the evening to ask them for his needs, they will say, 'return to us tomorrow.' Then Allah will destroy them during the night by causing the mountain to fall on them, while he changes others into apes and swine. They will remain in such a state until the Day of Resurrection. (related by Imam Al-Bukhari in Fat-hul Baari, graded sahih) .
First, Allah (SWT) teaches us in the Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future. This will immediately expose the falsehood of this hadith and similar ones and expose the hypocrisy of those who claim to be Muslims but refuse to believe Allah (SWT) in the Qur'an. Allah (SWT) told them Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future.
The Jewish Rabbis of Yathrib had instructed the idolaters to ask Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) " of some youth who were of old, what was their fate? " of a much-traveled man who reached the sunrise regions of the earth and the sunset regions thereof, what was his history?" And " of Spirit, what it is" as a test of his Prophethood. Verses 60-82 of Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) and verse 85 of Surah Bani Israel or Al-Isra were revealed to Prophet Muhammad to answer these questions. Furthermore nobody knows when Aakhira (the Last Day) will occur.
"Say (O Muhammed), "I have no power to benefit myself, or harm myself. Only what God wills happen to me. If I KNEW THE FUTURE, I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have afflicted me. I am no more than a warner, and a bearer of good news for those who believe."(Qur'an, 7:188).
"Say (O Muhammed), "I am not different from other messengers, I have NO IDEA what will happen to ME OR TO YOU. I ONLY follow what is revealed to me. I am NO MORE than a profound warner." (Qur'an, 46:9)
SECOND, For the past 1400 years there have been millions who listened to music and songs without mountains falling on top of them or turning into apes and pigs. What will happen to millions of people, who are turning to their computers now, will they turn into pigs and monkeys because their computers have all kinds of music built into them?
Those who really appreciate music and the beautiful voices that God created, are more appreciative of God's creations and closer to God than those who prohibit what God did not and see evil in every beautiful creation of God.
"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QURAN, 7:32).
It is these Muslims who prohibit which is not unlawful, who will be surprised on the Last Day that the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) will complain to God form them because they deserted the Qur'an (Qur'an, 25:30).
MUSIC AND SINGING WERE NEVER PROHIBTED BY GOD. They are part of the most beautiful creations of God. As long as they do not call on the people or encourage them to commit sins, they are for the TRUE BELIEVERS TO ENJOY while remembering God with every beautiful note or rhythm.
La Elaha Ella Allah, There is no god besides God. Is it time yet to wake up and follow the QUR'AN, instead of following the man-made laws? (REF: Sharif Khan, Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam, in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html)
Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in his well-known book, "The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam", (American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1980, pp.300-304) says, " Among the entertainments which may comfort the soul, please the heart, and refresh the ear is singing. Islam permits singing under the condition that it not be in anyway obscene or harmful to Islamic morals. There is no harm in its being accompanied by music, which is not exciting. In order to create an atmosphere of joy and happiness, singing is recommended on festive occasions such as the days of "Eid, weddings and wedding feasts, births, 'aqiqat (the celebration of the birth of a baby by the slaughter of sheep), and on the return of the traveler." He continues "It is reported that many Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as second generation Muslim scholars used to listen to singing and did not see anything wrong with it. As for the ahadith which have been reported against singing, they are all weak and have been shown by researchers to be unsound. The jurist Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "No sound hadith is available concerning the prohibition of singing," while Ibn Hazm says, "All that is reported on this subject is false and fabricated."
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui, President of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) says, "Imam Shawkani in his famous Nail al-Awtar (vol.8 pp.260-271) has mentioned that some Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet, used to listen to music. He even wrote a book with the title, "Ibtal Da'wa Al-Ijma' 'ala Tahrim Mutlaq al-Sama' " (The Refutation of the Alleged Claim of Consensus on the Absolute Prohibition of Music and Songs). While it is not right to say that all music is prohibited in Islam, it is important to use great discretion in the case of music. A lot of music that is available in the markets now days are very dangerous and harmful. Muslim youth should be extremely careful. There are, however, some Muslim groups in different countries who are developing songs that are very good, enjoyable, entertaining, and have good positive message."
CONCLUSION:
The music industry in America today is a multibillion-dollar business. Popular musicians and their promoters are making a great deal of money. However, it is a fact that unhappiness, premature death, and suicide have marked the lives of some very successful musicians. Our own Yusuf Al-Islam can testify to this fact from his own life experience. And it has been adequately demonstrated that some music is morally, emotionally, and spiritually debasing and can lead to violent, antisocial behavior. Hence it is important to have a balanced view of music. Some music can enrich one's life and bring a measure of joy and contentment. It can uplift us emotionally and spiritually. The ancient Hebrews did not read the psalms in the Torah, they sang them. Often they did so with beautiful musical accompaniment- a powerful way to link the wisdom of their God, with the emotions that trained singers could impart to the listeners. Spiritual music (Samaa') is the strength of the soul. Spiritual music is a specific cure of all desires. He, who hears it faithfully, finds the way to God; he who hears it to satisfy his sensual appetite turns a heretic. For Muslims the melodious recitation of the Qur'an is embedding more deeply in the hearts of the listeners, the knowledge of Allah, and Taqwa which are needed to guide our lives. In this 21-century world, which emphasizes education in science, economics, and logic, the development of the emotional side of personality through the arts is often neglected. Listening to a piece of fine music can be a beneficial and pleasurable experience. Of course, as with other good things in life, there is a need for moderation, good judgement, and selectivity in this area of entertainment (music). This is true not only in the type of music chosen but also in the amount of time spent in listening to or playing music.
Music is one of the great provisions from God that we should be grateful for. We should use it and enjoy it, like we enjoy all the other provisions. Indulgence in eating favorite food or drinking favorite juice to the point that one does not have time to do the required duties towards Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. Hence food and drinks would not become haram (prohibited). If one indulges in any kind of music or singing that occupies one at the expense of remembering Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. However the music itself does not become haram (prohibited). If someone sings a song encouraging corruption or misbehavior then listening to that song intentionally may be a sin but this does not make all singing haram (prohibited). It is true that many of the songs and lyrics we hear these days are disturbing but this does not make music or singing haram, it makes these specific songs undesirable and should be avoided. (Sharif Khan, ibid).
If a certain type of music is beginning to have a negative effect on your emotions, actions, and relationships, then select another style. Protect your ears to protect your emotions to protect your heart and mind! If we should ever find that through the power of music, our emotions are beginning to becloud our critical judgement and reason and misdirect our actions, and then it is time to change our music-listening habits. The power of music can affect your heart and your mind-either for good or for bad! Without music, the world will be quiet, desolate, and lifeless, like a graveyard. On the issue of music, prominent Muslim jurists, such as Imam Ibn Hazm, Imam Ghazali, Imam Mufti Muhammad Abduhu and Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi have held the opinion that good music is good and bad music is bad. If music promotes corruption and evil, it is not accepted. However, if it promotes sensitivity and a sense of beauty, then there is no harm.
Is Music Permissible?
The question whether music is permissible at all began to be debated in the first century of Islam and the debate has continued to the present day. This debate has filled thousands of pages. Early religious authorities had opposed music due to the role it had played in society. This 'new music' was related more and more with a life of pleasure and a taste of luxury. It procured connotations of flightiness and sensual indulgence, reinforced by the participation of women in music-making and by the dancing (often considered obscene) and the drinking of intoxicating beverages that were associated with it. Even the two sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah were not invulnerable from these temptations, and indeed they quickly became authentic centers of entertainment. Islamic music is divided into six periods. During the first period of Islam, and particularly during the reigns of the last two Khulafa-e-Rashideen (the rightly guided Caliphs), Hadrat Uthman(RA) and Hadrat Imam Ali(RA), Madinah became the center of intense musical activity. Despite frequent campaigns against music by the religious authorities, professional musicians were welcomed in the houses of the rich and noble, and encouraged by lavish rewards. These musicians were mainly freed slaves of Persian origin, such as Tuwais (d. 92 AH/710 AD) and Khathir (d 64 AH/683 AD), who is said to have taught Arabic music to Nasheet, the Persian slave who became a famous musician. Among the female musicians of Arab origin 'Azza al-Mayla (d. 86 AH/705 AD) occupies the first place. Her house was a real cultural salon, visited by the literary and musical elite. Some of the rhythmical modes began to crystallize during this period; its most characteristic type of song is called the al-ghina' al-mutqan. (REF. The Dimension of Sound by A. Shiloah in The World of Islam, Ed. Bernard Lewis, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, pp. 161-180, 1976)
Under the Umayyads the center of musical interest moved to the new capital, Damascus. Some of the caliphs (Khulafa) had a real passion for music; consequently musical activity increased, musicians multiplied and their social status rose. With the Abbasid dynasty the capital shifted to Baghdad. Here, during the next two centuries, Islamic music attained its highest point. This was its golden age. Musicians continued to enjoy favor at the caliphs' court and to play an important part in the country's cultural life. Society was eager for knowledge of all kinds. The study of music was now obligatory for every educated man, part of the encyclopedic learning he was expected to acquire, and in the intellectual flowering, which reached a climax in the IV/10th century music played a role. At the same time, the musician was expected to be widely cultured. Music itself became highly sophisticated and began to be the subject of learned controversies between thinkers with different artistic conceptions. The melodic and rhythmic modes were definitively codified. Theories were evolved, practice described. Instruments themselves were perfected and standards of performance rose even higher. Among the great musicians were Ibn Misjah (d.169 AH/ 785 AD), Ibn Muhriz (d, 97 AH/ 715 AD), Ibn Surayj (13-108 AH/634-726AD), al-Gharid (d. 106 AH/724 AD), Siyyat (d. 169 AH/785 AD), Zalzaal (d. 175 AH/791 AD), Mukhariq (d. 229 AH/845 AD), 'Alluya and 'Amr ibn Baanaa (d 278 AH/891 AD). Distinguished female singers were Basbas, 'Ubayda, Shariyya, Dananir and Mahbuba. In Muslim Spain music continued to play a prominent part in spite of the worsening political situation.
The greatest of Arabic theorists, al-Farabi (d. 339 AH/ 950 AD), wrote in his Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir: 'Theory did not appear until practice had already achieved its highest development.' This was certainly the case by his own time.
There was no clear line of separation between sacred and secular music, and sacred music itself has throughout its long history oscillated between art and folk music. According to some of the traditions, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) approved the folk music and not the art music. Consequently art music was completely banished.
The Qur'an is the only text that proclaims absolute Divine Laws, "Shari'ah". What is haram is clearly haram and what is halal is clearly halal. On the theological level, the authorities to which the two sides appeal are the Qur'an, the Hadith, the writings of religious leaders, the opinions of mystics and legal precedents. The Qur'an provides no specific verdict one way or the other, so it was the hadith which was the main source of ammunition. Literal interpretation of texts was reinforced by reasoning by analogy.
Imam Al-Ghazali (d.505 AH/1111 AD) makes brilliant use of this method and the chapter devoted to music in his Ihya Ulum al-Deen (Vivification of the Religious Sciences) is a masterpiece. In it he says that there is something wrong with the man or woman who does not like music. He declared " One who is not moved by music is unsound of mind and intemperate; is far from spirituality and is denser than birds and beasts: because everyone is affected by melodious sounds." (ASK Joommal, Al-Balaagh, Supplement to August/September, 1985)
An African Muslim named Sa'id, who traveled widely, translated the songs of other countries into Arabic, and first worked out the system which became classic for Arabic music.
Singing has always been the most common and most loved form of music, partly no doubt because of the Arabs' fondness for poetry. Good songs and poetry have been in Islamic culture since the time of the Prophet (pbuh), and who himself listened to good poetry and encouraged Hassan bin Thabit (known as the Poet of the Prophet) to say the poetry in the praise of Allah and in the honor of His Religion and His messenger. Most often simple instruments accompany it. Early Muslims studied theories of sound and music, and the rhythmic measuring of music was practiced among the Arabs long before it was known in Europe and the use of the baton goes back to the eighth century, so the modern Drum Major is all unconsciously in their debt. They knew nothing of harmony and made little use of accent, but they adorned the melody by a comparison note now and again, which perhaps prepared the way for harmony, later developed in the West.
Since instrumental music was a part of pagan ways of worship, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade it to his followers, saying it was "the devil's muezzin, calling men to worship him."
His objections were soon ignored. Military bands accompanied armies and shared in the celebration of victories. They had drums, kettle-drums, pipes of many sorts, cymbals, and tambourines. Making musical instruments became a fine art.
The lute was the earliest stringed instrument; it was of many shapes and sizes. Then came the guitar-qitara, the harp, and the rabab, an instrument played with a bow. Skilled players could drive away fears and depression, as the young shepherd Prophet David (Dawood-peace be upon him) for King Saul. More modest fiddlers played at weddings, raveling from village, to village, as they do today using the same instruments.
Makkah and Madinah became centers of music. Musicians in gala attire accompanied the pilgrimage processions to Makkah, rivaling in interest even the festivities of the Hajj itself, for the people believed that rejoicing with music and companionship was preparation for he ecstasy of the sacred celebration.
(REF: Allah-the God of Islam, Muslim Life and Worship by Florence Mary Fitch, published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Co., Inc. New York, 1950 p.90)
Are Music and Singing Haram?
The following excerpts are taken from: Sharif Khan, " Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam," in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html).
One of the most outrageous statements by some of the Muslims who refuse to accept the law of God in the Quran is that music and singing are haram (Prohibited). The sincere Muslim who is following the Quran will not find in the Quran ANY PROHIBITION OF MUSIC OR SINGING. Quran is the book that God calls COMPLETE, PERFECT and FULLY DETAILED. God, the Most Merciful, NEVER prohibited music or singing in the Quran, but some scholars and their followers did, despite their knowledge with the Quran. The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), lived by, ruled by, preached and followed the Quran. God is the ONLY source of law (Qur'an, 6:114). No one can prohibit what God did not (Qur'an, 66:1). When the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) once did, God admonished him in public to remind the believers that ONLY GOD can prohibit. (See Qur'an, 66:1 and 33:37).
The prohibition of Music and singing cannot be found in the Quran because God did not prohibit them. The list of prohibitions in the Quran does not include Music or singing.
"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QUR'AN, 7:32).
Now and before responding to those Muslims who claim that Music and singing are Haram, let us ponder for few seconds at our universe and the way God created this world. While we might remember that Galileo once said, "Mathematics is the language in which God wrote the universe." it may be fair enough to say that Music is the basic sound of that universe.
Any keen observer of the universe will realize that the whole universe was created with music in every corner of it. Our heart beats, bowel sounds, breath sounds, the sound of our blood flow or even our brain waves are but music. The birds, the dolphins, the animals, the trees, the rain, the oceans, the wind and the clouds are all created with their own music. Those who are blind in the heart and deaf to the truth do not and cannot understand that music is in every corner of their universe. With music in every thing around us, it is naive to think that the One God who created all this music prohibited it. One of the most valuable gifts given to man is the voice box or the larynx, which is in reality a music box. It is one important instrument that allows us to communicate with each other and with other creatures around us. The arrival of the newborn to this life is announced by his/her scream, the best music to the mother's ear.
(1) First, it is interesting to see the inverted logic of these people. After finding no proof in the Quran to prohibit music, by their own admission, they resort to the weaker sources one after the other to prove what they could not find in the Quran. This is almost like failing to have the approval of the president of the country on a matter, so they get the approval of his house keeper. If they fail, then they get the approval of his servant who cleans his room then claim that the approval they have is the approval of the president. Those who refuse to accept the Quran as a complete book for this religion, are led by Satan into inventing all kinds of laws from sources outside the Quran.
(2) In every verse they used in an attempt to prove that music is Haram, they ended by concluding that the verse does not really prohibit Music. Despite that, they never got the message that God DID NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING. They also failed to understand that prohibition laws ONLY COME from God. When the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) gave any prohibitions it was FROM THE QURAN ONLY, and was not from his own. Here are the verses that they claim to prohibit music and singing:
a)Allah addresses the disbelievers of the Quraysh as follows, "Do you marvel at this statement, and laugh and do not weep, while you amuse yourselves (proudly) in vanities? Rather, prostrate before Allah and worship Him." (Qur'an, 53:59-62)
Because of the statement "amuse yourselves" these Muslims twisted the words and the logic to make a conclusion that music and singing is what is meant here. The word is general and indicates that any kind of amusement that keeps you from paying your duties to God is leading you to commit a sin. It does not make it haram or prohibited. If you amuse yourself by watching Baseball while forgetting to do your Salat-prayers on time then you are committing a sin but this does not make Baseball haram. If you amuse yourself by playing games with your children while forgetting to pray on time you are committing a sin but playing with your children will not be haram. If you listen to music or singing and forget to do your prayers then you commit a sin but music does not become haram. Remember that music is like air and water, it is not haram per se, but the way it is used in certain circumstances will control its status then. These group of Muslims find in human beings like sahaba, tabi'in, and later scholars of tafseer to prohibit for them what God did not. Al-Qurtubi, At-Tabari, Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ibn Jareer... etc. are more important to these people than Allah (SWT).
a) Allah (SWT) addresses Satan thus; "And excite any of them whom you can with your voice. Assault them with your cavalry and infantry, be a partner with them in their wealth and children, and make them promises. But Satan promises nothing but deceit" (Qur'an, 17:64)
Using this verse as a proof of prohibition of music and singing shows only how naive and misguided are these people. No intelligent human being can accept the voice here as pointing to music and singing. It is clear from this verse that there is no prohibition here. They quote here Ibn Abbas, as saying "the voice mentioned in the verse refers to any form of invitation which calls to disobedience to Allah." If this form of invitation is "talking nicely" to someone to make him/her disobey Allah, this does not make "talking nicely" haram. If the invitation here is accompanied by music or singing, this does not make the music or singing haram but rather it is the invitation to disobey God in any form that is haram. They do not like what God says in the Quran, but find nothing wrong in listening to Ibn Abbas even if they do not know who Ibn Abbas is.
b) The third verse, and the one most often referred to as evidence of the prohibition of music and singing (according to them) is found is Sura Luqman.
"And there are among men those who purchase idle talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path without knowledge, and those who throw ridicule upon it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment." (31:6)
Again, like the previous verse, using the statement "idle-talk" (lahwal hadeeth) to condemn music and singing is clearly corrupt. Idle-talk or idle-tales, can be any form of talk and not necessarily singing and music. Even a tale or story can be constructive and enlightening or idle, false and mischievous. The Arabic word for music is "musiqah". Musiqah means music. Hadeeth means tales. Are the learned Ulama suggesting that Allah (SWT) would use one word when he meant another? Allama Yusuf Ali in his commentary on the words "lahwal hadeeth" in the Qur'an 31:6, in his note 3584 says, " Life is taken seriously by men who realize the issues that hang upon it. But there are men of a frivolous turn of mind who prefer idle tales to true Realities and they are justly rebuked here. In the time of the holy Prophet there was a pagan, Nadhr ibn al-Haarith who preferred Persian romances to the Message of God, and turned away ignorant men from the preaching of God's Word". The Qur'an never mentions anywhere that music is haram.
NOW THAT QURAN DOES NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING, these people looked for other sources to do this for them. A look at what they claimed as hadith of the prophet (pbuh) will show their misguidance and confusion. Here is an example of what these people quote and claimed it to the prophet which is a clear lie. The prophet (pbuh) cannot deviate from the Quran.
"The Prophet (SAWS) said, "There will be (at some future time) people from my ummah (community of Muslims) who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk (by men), wine-drinking, and the use of musical instruments (ma'azif). Some people will stay at the side of a mountain and when their shepherd comes in the evening to ask them for his needs, they will say, 'return to us tomorrow.' Then Allah will destroy them during the night by causing the mountain to fall on them, while he changes others into apes and swine. They will remain in such a state until the Day of Resurrection. (related by Imam Al-Bukhari in Fat-hul Baari, graded sahih) .
First, Allah (SWT) teaches us in the Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future. This will immediately expose the falsehood of this hadith and similar ones and expose the hypocrisy of those who claim to be Muslims but refuse to believe Allah (SWT) in the Qur'an. Allah (SWT) told them Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future.
The Jewish Rabbis of Yathrib had instructed the idolaters to ask Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) " of some youth who were of old, what was their fate? " of a much-traveled man who reached the sunrise regions of the earth and the sunset regions thereof, what was his history?" And " of Spirit, what it is" as a test of his Prophethood. Verses 60-82 of Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) and verse 85 of Surah Bani Israel or Al-Isra were revealed to Prophet Muhammad to answer these questions. Furthermore nobody knows when Aakhira (the Last Day) will occur.
"Say (O Muhammed), "I have no power to benefit myself, or harm myself. Only what God wills happen to me. If I KNEW THE FUTURE, I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have afflicted me. I am no more than a warner, and a bearer of good news for those who believe."(Qur'an, 7:188).
"Say (O Muhammed), "I am not different from other messengers, I have NO IDEA what will happen to ME OR TO YOU. I ONLY follow what is revealed to me. I am NO MORE than a profound warner." (Qur'an, 46:9)
SECOND, For the past 1400 years there have been millions who listened to music and songs without mountains falling on top of them or turning into apes and pigs. What will happen to millions of people, who are turning to their computers now, will they turn into pigs and monkeys because their computers have all kinds of music built into them?
Those who really appreciate music and the beautiful voices that God created, are more appreciative of God's creations and closer to God than those who prohibit what God did not and see evil in every beautiful creation of God.
"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QURAN, 7:32).
It is these Muslims who prohibit which is not unlawful, who will be surprised on the Last Day that the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) will complain to God form them because they deserted the Qur'an (Qur'an, 25:30).
MUSIC AND SINGING WERE NEVER PROHIBTED BY GOD. They are part of the most beautiful creations of God. As long as they do not call on the people or encourage them to commit sins, they are for the TRUE BELIEVERS TO ENJOY while remembering God with every beautiful note or rhythm.
La Elaha Ella Allah, There is no god besides God. Is it time yet to wake up and follow the QUR'AN, instead of following the man-made laws? (REF: Sharif Khan, Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam, in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html)
Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in his well-known book, "The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam", (American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1980, pp.300-304) says, " Among the entertainments which may comfort the soul, please the heart, and refresh the ear is singing. Islam permits singing under the condition that it not be in anyway obscene or harmful to Islamic morals. There is no harm in its being accompanied by music, which is not exciting. In order to create an atmosphere of joy and happiness, singing is recommended on festive occasions such as the days of "Eid, weddings and wedding feasts, births, 'aqiqat (the celebration of the birth of a baby by the slaughter of sheep), and on the return of the traveler." He continues "It is reported that many Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as second generation Muslim scholars used to listen to singing and did not see anything wrong with it. As for the ahadith which have been reported against singing, they are all weak and have been shown by researchers to be unsound. The jurist Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "No sound hadith is available concerning the prohibition of singing," while Ibn Hazm says, "All that is reported on this subject is false and fabricated."
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui, President of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) says, "Imam Shawkani in his famous Nail al-Awtar (vol.8 pp.260-271) has mentioned that some Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet, used to listen to music. He even wrote a book with the title, "Ibtal Da'wa Al-Ijma' 'ala Tahrim Mutlaq al-Sama' " (The Refutation of the Alleged Claim of Consensus on the Absolute Prohibition of Music and Songs). While it is not right to say that all music is prohibited in Islam, it is important to use great discretion in the case of music. A lot of music that is available in the markets now days are very dangerous and harmful. Muslim youth should be extremely careful. There are, however, some Muslim groups in different countries who are developing songs that are very good, enjoyable, entertaining, and have good positive message."
CONCLUSION:
The music industry in America today is a multibillion-dollar business. Popular musicians and their promoters are making a great deal of money. However, it is a fact that unhappiness, premature death, and suicide have marked the lives of some very successful musicians. Our own Yusuf Al-Islam can testify to this fact from his own life experience. And it has been adequately demonstrated that some music is morally, emotionally, and spiritually debasing and can lead to violent, antisocial behavior. Hence it is important to have a balanced view of music. Some music can enrich one's life and bring a measure of joy and contentment. It can uplift us emotionally and spiritually. The ancient Hebrews did not read the psalms in the Torah, they sang them. Often they did so with beautiful musical accompaniment- a powerful way to link the wisdom of their God, with the emotions that trained singers could impart to the listeners. Spiritual music (Samaa') is the strength of the soul. Spiritual music is a specific cure of all desires. He, who hears it faithfully, finds the way to God; he who hears it to satisfy his sensual appetite turns a heretic. For Muslims the melodious recitation of the Qur'an is embedding more deeply in the hearts of the listeners, the knowledge of Allah, and Taqwa which are needed to guide our lives. In this 21-century world, which emphasizes education in science, economics, and logic, the development of the emotional side of personality through the arts is often neglected. Listening to a piece of fine music can be a beneficial and pleasurable experience. Of course, as with other good things in life, there is a need for moderation, good judgement, and selectivity in this area of entertainment (music). This is true not only in the type of music chosen but also in the amount of time spent in listening to or playing music.
Music is one of the great provisions from God that we should be grateful for. We should use it and enjoy it, like we enjoy all the other provisions. Indulgence in eating favorite food or drinking favorite juice to the point that one does not have time to do the required duties towards Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. Hence food and drinks would not become haram (prohibited). If one indulges in any kind of music or singing that occupies one at the expense of remembering Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. However the music itself does not become haram (prohibited). If someone sings a song encouraging corruption or misbehavior then listening to that song intentionally may be a sin but this does not make all singing haram (prohibited). It is true that many of the songs and lyrics we hear these days are disturbing but this does not make music or singing haram, it makes these specific songs undesirable and should be avoided. (Sharif Khan, ibid).
If a certain type of music is beginning to have a negative effect on your emotions, actions, and relationships, then select another style. Protect your ears to protect your emotions to protect your heart and mind! If we should ever find that through the power of music, our emotions are beginning to becloud our critical judgement and reason and misdirect our actions, and then it is time to change our music-listening habits. The power of music can affect your heart and your mind-either for good or for bad! Without music, the world will be quiet, desolate, and lifeless, like a graveyard. On the issue of music, prominent Muslim jurists, such as Imam Ibn Hazm, Imam Ghazali, Imam Mufti Muhammad Abduhu and Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi have held the opinion that good music is good and bad music is bad. If music promotes corruption and evil, it is not accepted. However, if it promotes sensitivity and a sense of beauty, then there is no harm.
Breastfeeding
We read in the Qur'an the following verse:
"Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete suckling……."
- Surah, Al-Baqara (The Cow): 233(Verse #).
This is a Qur'anic command for the mothers to suckle (breastfeed) their children for a period of two years. This command is modified by the subsequent words " (that is) for those who wish to complete suckling." Obeying the Qur'anic command is an Ibaada (worship). The wisdom of breastfeeding the children has been instilled in the Muslims through this Qur'anic revelations. Those who followed this Qur'anic command raised mentally and physically healthy Muslim children. Alhamdulillah.
The following article gives us the opportunity to think and appreciate this Qur'anic wisdom. In the Western world, majority of the children are raised by drinking "formula" milk. Some are of the opinion that the mothers in the West are refusing to breastfeed their children to maintain their youthful figure. Now let us see what the Western studies reveal with regard to breastfeeding the children.
Many epidemiologic studies reported over the years suggest that breastfeeding reduces the risk of infection and atopic disease in the breastfed infant and child. The United States Surgeon General released in October 2000, the Blueprint for Action on Breastfedeing, (HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding. Washington, DC: Dept of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health; 2000) which spells out the strategic plan for the country to improve the percentage of women who breastfeed and the duration of that breastfeeding. The health goals of the United States for 2010 include having:
at least 75 % of mothers leave the hospital breastfeeding and
at least 50 % of women breastfeeding at 6 months and 25 % at 1 year postpartum(after delivery).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women breastfeed exclusively for 6 months and continues breastfeeding while adding weaning foods for at least a year and then for as long thereafter as mother and infant wish.
In a very recent article titled " The Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT) - A Randomized Trial in the Republic of Belarus" published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, January 24/31, 2001--Vol 285, No.4 pp.413-420), which is considered as masterful study of more than 17,000 mother-infant pairs recruited from the maternity hospital and polyclinics in the Republic of Belarus. The real and clear message of this study is that breastfeeding, especially prolonged breastfeeding, affects child health, particularly in the area of gastrointestinal infections and atopic eczema in the first year of life. This study confirms previously held impressions that breastfeeding is protective against acute problems in infancy, namely gastrointestinal and allergic diseases. Existing epidemiologic data suggest breastfeeding protects against childhood cancers, Crohn disease and celiac disease.
New research, published in The Lancet - a British Medical Journal (Vol. 357, of Feb. 10, 2001, pp. 413-419) suggests that babies fed infant formula grow up to have higher blood pressure than those given breast milk. The scientists found that the diastolic blood pressure reading- the lower number- was 3.2 points lower in the teens fed breast milk than in those given pre-term formula. The systolic reading - the higher number - was 2.7 points lower. An elevation in either reading is bad. Major American heart disease studies have found that if adults' diastolic blood pressure was lowered just two points, the prevalence of high blood pressure would drop by 17 percent, the risk of heart disease and heart attacks would drop by 15 percent. " The most likely thing is there is something in breast milk that protects," Lucas said. (Alan Lucas is a co-author of the article along with Atul Singhal and Tim J Cole). Studies in the 1990s have shown that breast milk is associated with improved intelligence quotient, and cognitive development. On the other hand early childhood anemia is associated with mild or moderate mental retardation.
Consumption of human milk has been shown to have many benefits for infants-both preterm and full term-including a reduced risk of necrotising enterocolitis, atopy, and infection and improved later cognitive development. The breastmilk contains a wide range of non-nutrient factors, including trophic substances and hormones that are responsible for the beneficial effects of human milk.
"Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete suckling……."
- Surah, Al-Baqara (The Cow): 233(Verse #).
This is a Qur'anic command for the mothers to suckle (breastfeed) their children for a period of two years. This command is modified by the subsequent words " (that is) for those who wish to complete suckling." Obeying the Qur'anic command is an Ibaada (worship). The wisdom of breastfeeding the children has been instilled in the Muslims through this Qur'anic revelations. Those who followed this Qur'anic command raised mentally and physically healthy Muslim children. Alhamdulillah.
The following article gives us the opportunity to think and appreciate this Qur'anic wisdom. In the Western world, majority of the children are raised by drinking "formula" milk. Some are of the opinion that the mothers in the West are refusing to breastfeed their children to maintain their youthful figure. Now let us see what the Western studies reveal with regard to breastfeeding the children.
Many epidemiologic studies reported over the years suggest that breastfeeding reduces the risk of infection and atopic disease in the breastfed infant and child. The United States Surgeon General released in October 2000, the Blueprint for Action on Breastfedeing, (HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding. Washington, DC: Dept of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health; 2000) which spells out the strategic plan for the country to improve the percentage of women who breastfeed and the duration of that breastfeeding. The health goals of the United States for 2010 include having:
at least 75 % of mothers leave the hospital breastfeeding and
at least 50 % of women breastfeeding at 6 months and 25 % at 1 year postpartum(after delivery).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women breastfeed exclusively for 6 months and continues breastfeeding while adding weaning foods for at least a year and then for as long thereafter as mother and infant wish.
In a very recent article titled " The Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT) - A Randomized Trial in the Republic of Belarus" published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, January 24/31, 2001--Vol 285, No.4 pp.413-420), which is considered as masterful study of more than 17,000 mother-infant pairs recruited from the maternity hospital and polyclinics in the Republic of Belarus. The real and clear message of this study is that breastfeeding, especially prolonged breastfeeding, affects child health, particularly in the area of gastrointestinal infections and atopic eczema in the first year of life. This study confirms previously held impressions that breastfeeding is protective against acute problems in infancy, namely gastrointestinal and allergic diseases. Existing epidemiologic data suggest breastfeeding protects against childhood cancers, Crohn disease and celiac disease.
New research, published in The Lancet - a British Medical Journal (Vol. 357, of Feb. 10, 2001, pp. 413-419) suggests that babies fed infant formula grow up to have higher blood pressure than those given breast milk. The scientists found that the diastolic blood pressure reading- the lower number- was 3.2 points lower in the teens fed breast milk than in those given pre-term formula. The systolic reading - the higher number - was 2.7 points lower. An elevation in either reading is bad. Major American heart disease studies have found that if adults' diastolic blood pressure was lowered just two points, the prevalence of high blood pressure would drop by 17 percent, the risk of heart disease and heart attacks would drop by 15 percent. " The most likely thing is there is something in breast milk that protects," Lucas said. (Alan Lucas is a co-author of the article along with Atul Singhal and Tim J Cole). Studies in the 1990s have shown that breast milk is associated with improved intelligence quotient, and cognitive development. On the other hand early childhood anemia is associated with mild or moderate mental retardation.
Consumption of human milk has been shown to have many benefits for infants-both preterm and full term-including a reduced risk of necrotising enterocolitis, atopy, and infection and improved later cognitive development. The breastmilk contains a wide range of non-nutrient factors, including trophic substances and hormones that are responsible for the beneficial effects of human milk.
Spider Silks
Those who read the Noble Qur’an must be wondering why Surah, 29 is titled “Al-Ankabut.” or the Spider which is a lowly insect.
This article explores the human reasoning as to why Allah (SWT) chose Al-Ankabut as the title of Surah number 29 and the word Ankabut is mentioned in Ayah (verse) number 41 of Surah 29 as follow:
“The parable of those who take
Protectors other than Allah is that of the Spider
Who builds (to itself) a house;
But truly the flimsiest of houses is the Spider’s house
If they but knew.”
People consider spiders are nuisances or horrifying creatures that should be exterminated whenever possible. In fact spiders are benefactors of humans. Every year spiders do away with millions upon millions of insects such as locusts and grasshoppers that would destroy grain crops, and with such consumers of green leave as beetles and caterpillars, as well as with troublesome mosquitoes and flies. One authority stated in the following words: "If it were not for the number of spiders everywhere, all living creatures except defoliating (leaf-eating) caterpillars might face starvation."
Spiders keep control of the insects without using the man-made insecticides, which are posing many environmental problems including the decreasing of sperms in the human male thus resulting in infertility. Therefore we must appreciate our spider friends which are performing this service with no ill effects whatever to mankind. They exist in abundance and they are found almost anywhere. Some types flourish indoors, and others live outdoors but close to the buildings. In the fields they make their homes on tall plants and low shrubs, in forests they take refuge under dried leaves and fallen logs. Any piece of bark or stone may serve as a spider shelter. We may find them near water and even on it, in dry country, in underground caves, and on mountaintops. Because of ignorance, through the ages, in countless stories, spiders have been connected with sinister, unhealthy activities and places. They are treated as sinister and aggressive and usually capable of a deadly bite.
The truth is a spider is a mild creature, most anxious to avoid contact with man. It bites only when hurt or frightened, and usually will walk over a person's skin without making any effort to bite. In fact the majority of spiders we come across are small and because their biting apparatus is not strong enough, they are not capable of breaking through the skin of a human being. One must be aware that a large wolf spider will cause no greater pain nor inconvenience from poison than a wasp usually inflicts. On the other hand a black widow, the only spider native to the United States which can inflict poisoning of a truly serious nature upon humans, is small-no more than half-an-inch in length. Because of this the black widow is always given wide publicity. Black widow poisoning is often serious, but rarely is it fatal. Very young children and adults who are not in good physical condition suffer from it most acutely. If treated properly and promptly the ill effects usually lessen in a few hours and after a couple of days rest, the victim has completely recovered.
SPIDER SILK
The strength of spider silk, so delicate in appearance, is surprisingly great. A strand can be stretched as much as one half its normal length before breaking, and has a tensile strength surpassed only by fused quartz fibers. Fine strands are stronger than others, the strength to some extent depending on the speed with which they are drawn out of the spider's body. The greater the speed, the greater the strength. There are other variations, too. Most of the silken threads are not single fibers but are made up of two or more strands. A fiber may be as fine as a millionth of an inch in thickness but more often it is ten or twenty times as thick, and the grouping of these fibers naturally produces threads of a variety of thicknesses. Also some fibers are sticky while others are not.
Making a web is one of the many uses to which the spider puts silk to use. Spiders uses the silk for trap lines, draglines, ballooning lines, for trap-door covers to underground retreats, for egg sacs and nursery webs, for chambers in which to hibernate or to mate, for the many types of webs in which food is ensnared, and for entangling and swathing their prey. Silk for all these purposes is not achieved with one type of gland; there are at least seven different types that equip the whole spider group. Some individual spiders have as many as six kinds and possibly have more than six hundred separate glands; others have less than this.
ANALYSIS OF SILK
The silk itself is a substance known as "scleroprotein." When produced in the glands it is a liquid; only when drawn outside the body does it harden into thread. Once it was thought that exposure to the air caused the hardening, but it now appears that the drawing-out process alone is responsible. To carry forward the work done by the glands, a spider is equipped with spinnerets, usually six in number. These are as flexible as fingers; they can be extended, compressed, and in general be used like human hands. In the "spinning field," where the spinnerets are grouped, single threads are combined into various thicknesses, and some of the dry strands may be coated with a sticky substance. Thus a finished strand may be thin or thick, dry or sticky. It may also have the form of a beaded necklace. For the latter type the spider spins rather slowly and, pulling out the sticky thread, lets it go with a jerk. The fluid thus is arranged in globules spaced along the finished line. The thread known as the dragline may be thought of as a spider's "life line" for it acts as a lifesaver under all sorts of conditions. No matter where or how far a spider travels, the dragline goes along, reeling out from spinnerets at the rear of the body. It forms part of the construction of webs, it holds its little manufacturer securely in difficult places, and it aids in escaping from enemies. For a spider resting in a web the dragline makes possible quick drop and hideout in vegetation. It enables active hunting spiders to leap from buildings, cliffs, or any high point incomplete safety.
BENEFITS OF SPIDER SILK TO MAN
One may be wondering why the spider silk in contrast to the silk of the silkworm, is not of great commercial importance. One reason lies in the varying thickness of spider thread. Also it is more difficult to work with, and, because it does not stand up well in the weaving process, it lacks the luster of insect silk. Besides all this the problems of housing and feeding large numbers of spiders are great compared with supporting silkworms.
Primitive people like in New Guinea have used spider silk in a number of ways. They make fishing nets and lures and such articles as bags, headdresses that will keep off the rain, and caps. These are not fashioned from single strands but from matted, twisted threads. The primitive natives of North Queensland, Australia, look to spiders for their fishing equipment. One way they use them is to entangle one end of a thin switch in a web, then, using a weaving motion, they twist the coarse silk lines into a single strand which may be more than a foot long. The strand of silk is then trailed through the same area. As a fish rises to this bait its teeth become entangled in the invisible strands of silk and it is easily pulled out of the water. Most fish caught in this matter are no more than two inches long, but it is claimed that such silken fishing poles can hold more than half a pound of weight.
Besides being helpful to primitive people, spider silk has proved useful to the makers of such complicated instruments as astronomical telescopes, guns and engineers' levels. The fibers, being very fine yet strong and able to withstand extremes of weather, are excellent for sighting marks. During the Second World War there was considerable demand for spider fiber for surveying and laboratory instruments. The silk would be reeled from the spinnerets of living spiders, then stored on especially constructed frames until needed. Black widow spiders were used to a great extent for this silk production, although the common house orb weavers, the gardens orb weavers and others all help to provide the silk employed for specialized purposes. One draw back to the use of spider silk in industry is its ability to sag in a humid atmosphere. For this reason filaments of platinum or engraving on glass plates take its place in such instruments as periscopes and bombsights.
FIBER ENGINEERING
As we know the orb-weaving spider produces one of the world’s toughest fibers. Using recombinant DNA technology, DuPont scientists in the United States have created synthetic spider silk as a model for a new generation of advanced materials. It has been suggested that a single strand of spider silk, thick as a pencil, could stop a 747 Jumbo Jet in flight. Whatever comparison one uses, the dragline silk of the orb-weaving spider is an impressive material. On an equal weight basis, it is stronger than steel. In addition, spider silk is very elastic. It is this combination of strength and stretch that makes the energy-to-break of spider silk so high. Simply put, it is the toughest material known. Spider silk is merely the most dramatic example of a sizable family of biopolymers possessing a combination of properties that synthetic materials cannot yet approach. Researchers at DuPont are looking to these natural materials as paradigms for the design and synthesis of a new generation of advanced structural materials.
SECRETS OF SPIDER SILK
It is very important to learn exactly how the spider makes its silk because this knowledge can serve as the basis for a new generation of materials. Fundamental to achieving these materials is the ability to control all aspects of the material architecture, beginning at the molecular level. Recombinant DNA technology provides a practical route to harnessing the power of the biosynthetic process to control polymer sequence and chain length to a degree that is otherwise impossible. A broad range of mechanical properties is accessible by careful selection of the appropriate building blocks, as more sophisticated properties that are common among proteins. Advanced computer simulation techniques to design a molecular model that integrates all the information available to date about the structure of this amazingly strong and elastic fiber. Synthetic genes were designed to encode alleges of the silk proteins. These genes were inserted into yeast and bacteria and the protein analogs were produced. The biosilk was then dissolved in a solvent and the protein was spun into fibbers using spinning techniques similar to those of the spider.
REVOLUTION THROUGH SYNTHETIC SPIDER SILK
Scientists are envisioning many possible uses for biosilk. Textile applications are an obvious one. The elasticity and strength of existing products such as spandex and nylon have to be improved. Because it is lightweight, tough and elastic, biosilk may also have applications in satellites and aircraft. More importantly, the new generation of advanced materials that spider silk research may bring about has the potential to transform our lives in countless ways we can scarcely imagine. It has been over 52 years since the discoveries of Wallace and Carothers and his team that gave the world nylon and ushered in the age of polymers. Initial successes predict that harnessing biosynthesis will play a major role in the new materials revolution. Synthetic spider silk may help create super-performing garments of the future. Earthquake resistant suspension bridges hung from cables of synthetic spider silk fibers may someday be a reality.
(An ancient Greek legend says a young girl named Arachne was an excellent spinner and wove the most beautiful cloth. She challenged the goddess Athena to a contest. When Athena saw Arachne’s beautiful work, she tore apart the cloth and beat the young girl. Disgraced, Arachne hanged herself. Athena repented and changed Arachne into a spider with a magic liquid, so that she could spin forever and ever. The scientific name for the class of animals to which spiders belong is Arachnida-named after the young girl in the famous Greek legend).
WHY SPIDER’S HOUSE IS FLIMSIEST OF HOUSES?
Every Muslim reader of this article has a problem understanding this article because according to the Noble Qur'an (Surah 29, Ayah 41) cited above the FLIMSIEST of houses is the spider’s house. The scientific studies show that a single strand of spider silk, thick as a pencil, could stop a 747 Jumbo Jet in flight, and that on an equal basis, the spider’s silk is STRONGER THAN STEEL. All these sound too far-fetched and incomprehensible and extremely difficult to understand the mysteries of science. But most important of all this article apparently CONTRADICTS the verse 41 in Surah 41.
The quick answer is that per unit weight the dragline silk of the golden orb spider is one of the world’s toughest fibers. Webs are combinations of many kinds of spider silk all able to be produced by the same spider. The web radials are strong, but the somewhat weaker circumferential (quasi-circular concentric) fibers are elastic and sticky-to absorb the energy of a flying insect and hold it in place. Silk fibers for victim and offspring encapsulation (cocoons) are also different. The strongest of all is the fiber, which the spider uses for transport, the dragline silk. In summary the spider produces both strong and as well as weak fibers and the web it weaves to catch flying insects is weaker and hence it is referred to in the Qur’an as the FLIMSIEST of houses.
Muslim scientists and researchers throughout the world should get inspiration from the Qur’anic Ayat and pursue research in areas that benefit not only Muslims but also the whole of humanity. Biosilk is one such area, which needs to be explored by young Muslim scientists and research workers in the Muslim World.
[Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is considered to be the foremost exponent in the world for the interpretation of the Noble Qur’an in the light of modern knowledge. Ed]
This article explores the human reasoning as to why Allah (SWT) chose Al-Ankabut as the title of Surah number 29 and the word Ankabut is mentioned in Ayah (verse) number 41 of Surah 29 as follow:
“The parable of those who take
Protectors other than Allah is that of the Spider
Who builds (to itself) a house;
But truly the flimsiest of houses is the Spider’s house
If they but knew.”
People consider spiders are nuisances or horrifying creatures that should be exterminated whenever possible. In fact spiders are benefactors of humans. Every year spiders do away with millions upon millions of insects such as locusts and grasshoppers that would destroy grain crops, and with such consumers of green leave as beetles and caterpillars, as well as with troublesome mosquitoes and flies. One authority stated in the following words: "If it were not for the number of spiders everywhere, all living creatures except defoliating (leaf-eating) caterpillars might face starvation."
Spiders keep control of the insects without using the man-made insecticides, which are posing many environmental problems including the decreasing of sperms in the human male thus resulting in infertility. Therefore we must appreciate our spider friends which are performing this service with no ill effects whatever to mankind. They exist in abundance and they are found almost anywhere. Some types flourish indoors, and others live outdoors but close to the buildings. In the fields they make their homes on tall plants and low shrubs, in forests they take refuge under dried leaves and fallen logs. Any piece of bark or stone may serve as a spider shelter. We may find them near water and even on it, in dry country, in underground caves, and on mountaintops. Because of ignorance, through the ages, in countless stories, spiders have been connected with sinister, unhealthy activities and places. They are treated as sinister and aggressive and usually capable of a deadly bite.
The truth is a spider is a mild creature, most anxious to avoid contact with man. It bites only when hurt or frightened, and usually will walk over a person's skin without making any effort to bite. In fact the majority of spiders we come across are small and because their biting apparatus is not strong enough, they are not capable of breaking through the skin of a human being. One must be aware that a large wolf spider will cause no greater pain nor inconvenience from poison than a wasp usually inflicts. On the other hand a black widow, the only spider native to the United States which can inflict poisoning of a truly serious nature upon humans, is small-no more than half-an-inch in length. Because of this the black widow is always given wide publicity. Black widow poisoning is often serious, but rarely is it fatal. Very young children and adults who are not in good physical condition suffer from it most acutely. If treated properly and promptly the ill effects usually lessen in a few hours and after a couple of days rest, the victim has completely recovered.
SPIDER SILK
The strength of spider silk, so delicate in appearance, is surprisingly great. A strand can be stretched as much as one half its normal length before breaking, and has a tensile strength surpassed only by fused quartz fibers. Fine strands are stronger than others, the strength to some extent depending on the speed with which they are drawn out of the spider's body. The greater the speed, the greater the strength. There are other variations, too. Most of the silken threads are not single fibers but are made up of two or more strands. A fiber may be as fine as a millionth of an inch in thickness but more often it is ten or twenty times as thick, and the grouping of these fibers naturally produces threads of a variety of thicknesses. Also some fibers are sticky while others are not.
Making a web is one of the many uses to which the spider puts silk to use. Spiders uses the silk for trap lines, draglines, ballooning lines, for trap-door covers to underground retreats, for egg sacs and nursery webs, for chambers in which to hibernate or to mate, for the many types of webs in which food is ensnared, and for entangling and swathing their prey. Silk for all these purposes is not achieved with one type of gland; there are at least seven different types that equip the whole spider group. Some individual spiders have as many as six kinds and possibly have more than six hundred separate glands; others have less than this.
ANALYSIS OF SILK
The silk itself is a substance known as "scleroprotein." When produced in the glands it is a liquid; only when drawn outside the body does it harden into thread. Once it was thought that exposure to the air caused the hardening, but it now appears that the drawing-out process alone is responsible. To carry forward the work done by the glands, a spider is equipped with spinnerets, usually six in number. These are as flexible as fingers; they can be extended, compressed, and in general be used like human hands. In the "spinning field," where the spinnerets are grouped, single threads are combined into various thicknesses, and some of the dry strands may be coated with a sticky substance. Thus a finished strand may be thin or thick, dry or sticky. It may also have the form of a beaded necklace. For the latter type the spider spins rather slowly and, pulling out the sticky thread, lets it go with a jerk. The fluid thus is arranged in globules spaced along the finished line. The thread known as the dragline may be thought of as a spider's "life line" for it acts as a lifesaver under all sorts of conditions. No matter where or how far a spider travels, the dragline goes along, reeling out from spinnerets at the rear of the body. It forms part of the construction of webs, it holds its little manufacturer securely in difficult places, and it aids in escaping from enemies. For a spider resting in a web the dragline makes possible quick drop and hideout in vegetation. It enables active hunting spiders to leap from buildings, cliffs, or any high point incomplete safety.
BENEFITS OF SPIDER SILK TO MAN
One may be wondering why the spider silk in contrast to the silk of the silkworm, is not of great commercial importance. One reason lies in the varying thickness of spider thread. Also it is more difficult to work with, and, because it does not stand up well in the weaving process, it lacks the luster of insect silk. Besides all this the problems of housing and feeding large numbers of spiders are great compared with supporting silkworms.
Primitive people like in New Guinea have used spider silk in a number of ways. They make fishing nets and lures and such articles as bags, headdresses that will keep off the rain, and caps. These are not fashioned from single strands but from matted, twisted threads. The primitive natives of North Queensland, Australia, look to spiders for their fishing equipment. One way they use them is to entangle one end of a thin switch in a web, then, using a weaving motion, they twist the coarse silk lines into a single strand which may be more than a foot long. The strand of silk is then trailed through the same area. As a fish rises to this bait its teeth become entangled in the invisible strands of silk and it is easily pulled out of the water. Most fish caught in this matter are no more than two inches long, but it is claimed that such silken fishing poles can hold more than half a pound of weight.
Besides being helpful to primitive people, spider silk has proved useful to the makers of such complicated instruments as astronomical telescopes, guns and engineers' levels. The fibers, being very fine yet strong and able to withstand extremes of weather, are excellent for sighting marks. During the Second World War there was considerable demand for spider fiber for surveying and laboratory instruments. The silk would be reeled from the spinnerets of living spiders, then stored on especially constructed frames until needed. Black widow spiders were used to a great extent for this silk production, although the common house orb weavers, the gardens orb weavers and others all help to provide the silk employed for specialized purposes. One draw back to the use of spider silk in industry is its ability to sag in a humid atmosphere. For this reason filaments of platinum or engraving on glass plates take its place in such instruments as periscopes and bombsights.
FIBER ENGINEERING
As we know the orb-weaving spider produces one of the world’s toughest fibers. Using recombinant DNA technology, DuPont scientists in the United States have created synthetic spider silk as a model for a new generation of advanced materials. It has been suggested that a single strand of spider silk, thick as a pencil, could stop a 747 Jumbo Jet in flight. Whatever comparison one uses, the dragline silk of the orb-weaving spider is an impressive material. On an equal weight basis, it is stronger than steel. In addition, spider silk is very elastic. It is this combination of strength and stretch that makes the energy-to-break of spider silk so high. Simply put, it is the toughest material known. Spider silk is merely the most dramatic example of a sizable family of biopolymers possessing a combination of properties that synthetic materials cannot yet approach. Researchers at DuPont are looking to these natural materials as paradigms for the design and synthesis of a new generation of advanced structural materials.
SECRETS OF SPIDER SILK
It is very important to learn exactly how the spider makes its silk because this knowledge can serve as the basis for a new generation of materials. Fundamental to achieving these materials is the ability to control all aspects of the material architecture, beginning at the molecular level. Recombinant DNA technology provides a practical route to harnessing the power of the biosynthetic process to control polymer sequence and chain length to a degree that is otherwise impossible. A broad range of mechanical properties is accessible by careful selection of the appropriate building blocks, as more sophisticated properties that are common among proteins. Advanced computer simulation techniques to design a molecular model that integrates all the information available to date about the structure of this amazingly strong and elastic fiber. Synthetic genes were designed to encode alleges of the silk proteins. These genes were inserted into yeast and bacteria and the protein analogs were produced. The biosilk was then dissolved in a solvent and the protein was spun into fibbers using spinning techniques similar to those of the spider.
REVOLUTION THROUGH SYNTHETIC SPIDER SILK
Scientists are envisioning many possible uses for biosilk. Textile applications are an obvious one. The elasticity and strength of existing products such as spandex and nylon have to be improved. Because it is lightweight, tough and elastic, biosilk may also have applications in satellites and aircraft. More importantly, the new generation of advanced materials that spider silk research may bring about has the potential to transform our lives in countless ways we can scarcely imagine. It has been over 52 years since the discoveries of Wallace and Carothers and his team that gave the world nylon and ushered in the age of polymers. Initial successes predict that harnessing biosynthesis will play a major role in the new materials revolution. Synthetic spider silk may help create super-performing garments of the future. Earthquake resistant suspension bridges hung from cables of synthetic spider silk fibers may someday be a reality.
(An ancient Greek legend says a young girl named Arachne was an excellent spinner and wove the most beautiful cloth. She challenged the goddess Athena to a contest. When Athena saw Arachne’s beautiful work, she tore apart the cloth and beat the young girl. Disgraced, Arachne hanged herself. Athena repented and changed Arachne into a spider with a magic liquid, so that she could spin forever and ever. The scientific name for the class of animals to which spiders belong is Arachnida-named after the young girl in the famous Greek legend).
WHY SPIDER’S HOUSE IS FLIMSIEST OF HOUSES?
Every Muslim reader of this article has a problem understanding this article because according to the Noble Qur'an (Surah 29, Ayah 41) cited above the FLIMSIEST of houses is the spider’s house. The scientific studies show that a single strand of spider silk, thick as a pencil, could stop a 747 Jumbo Jet in flight, and that on an equal basis, the spider’s silk is STRONGER THAN STEEL. All these sound too far-fetched and incomprehensible and extremely difficult to understand the mysteries of science. But most important of all this article apparently CONTRADICTS the verse 41 in Surah 41.
The quick answer is that per unit weight the dragline silk of the golden orb spider is one of the world’s toughest fibers. Webs are combinations of many kinds of spider silk all able to be produced by the same spider. The web radials are strong, but the somewhat weaker circumferential (quasi-circular concentric) fibers are elastic and sticky-to absorb the energy of a flying insect and hold it in place. Silk fibers for victim and offspring encapsulation (cocoons) are also different. The strongest of all is the fiber, which the spider uses for transport, the dragline silk. In summary the spider produces both strong and as well as weak fibers and the web it weaves to catch flying insects is weaker and hence it is referred to in the Qur’an as the FLIMSIEST of houses.
Muslim scientists and researchers throughout the world should get inspiration from the Qur’anic Ayat and pursue research in areas that benefit not only Muslims but also the whole of humanity. Biosilk is one such area, which needs to be explored by young Muslim scientists and research workers in the Muslim World.
[Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is considered to be the foremost exponent in the world for the interpretation of the Noble Qur’an in the light of modern knowledge. Ed]
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