"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
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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]
The Honeybee
The reader of the Qur'an must have been wondering why Surah 16, An-Nahl or the Bee is named after a lowly creature.
In the scientific language all the honeybees belong to the genus Apis. The honeybee communicates with other honeybee using a dance language, which the scientists have discovered to be very complicated and highly developed. Karl von Frisch of the University of Munich in Germany, in the 1940s first discovered the significance of bees' dances. Once the honeybee discovers a source of food, it returns to the hive and the forager bee recruits other bees through both sound and dances and communicates information about the location of food.
More than 2,000 years ago, Aristotle himself documented the honeybee's ability to recruit her nestmates to a good food source but did not speculate on how the communication took place. It took over 2,000 years to understand the communication system of the bee. Frisch and his followers were able to recognize a pattern in the dance. The forager walks across the vertical sheets of comb hanging in the hive and traces out the shape of a figure eight (8); she pauses in each loop to shake her body from side to side. A few potential recruits chase after the dancer attentively for some time and then fly out on their own toward the target. In 1943 von Frisch discovered that the direction in which the dancer faced during her waggling run pointed toward the food site in relation to the sun; if she waggled while facing straight upward, toward the 12 on a clockface, then the food could be found in the direction of the sun; if she waggled 60 degrees to the left of 12, facing the 10' 'O' clock, then the food lay 60 degrees to the left of the sun. In addition, he noticed that how fast the dancer completed her circuits corresponded to the distance between the hive and the feeding site; the closer the food, the more frenzied her pace. Von Frisch and his colleagues made detailed accounts of the dance language. They could observe the dance, decipher its meaning and then locate the food supply of which it spoke. This is a stunning accomplishment for scientists.
The sounds it makes with its wings are truly an essential part of the honeybee's dance language. The dancer bee emits sound signals that help the dance followers to find out where the dancer is located and how she is moving, which in turn offers them critical information regarding the direction and distance to the feeding site. The dance attenders receive these signals through the Johnston's organs located in their antennae, which are always held near the dancer. Because these organs are bilateral-one on the left and one on the dance followers can use them to judge their position with respect to the dancer and therefore understand the direction to the food. At the same time, the followers emit sounds that vibrate the comb. The forager stops her dance when she receives these signals and delivers samples of the food she has collected. These appetizers give the dance followers additional information about the taste, smell and quality of the food source. The bees attend the dancing for a while and then fly out to determine the food source on their own. If they are fortunate, they will find the food. If they fail, they will return to the nest and try again.
The exactness of the Qur'anic words in their reference to scientific phenomena occurs in Surah 16, ayath 68, which states:
"And Thy Lord inspired the bee, saying: Choose thou habitations in the hills and in the trees and in (men's) habitations."
Yusuf Ali says: "Auha: wahyan ordinarily means inspiration, the Message put into the mind or heart by Allah. Here the Bee's instinct is refereed to Allah's teaching, which id undoubtedly is.
In the above verse, Allah (SWT) is commanding the bee to choose (to make a hive) a dwelling in the hills, trees and other places which man has built. In Arabic, the verb assumes a specific form when it is in the imperative form and can be either masculine or feminine according to the context. In the Qur'an, the Arabic command of ittakhizee (go choose) is given to the bee in the feminine imperative form. It is shockingly true that only the female bee finds a new home. The queen and the workers are the heart of the hive: the male drones exist solely to mate with the queen. Thus the Qur'an makes a very accurate statement when it refers only the female bee as the one which is being commanded from Allah (SWT) to make a dwelling. As we know the Qur'an is a book of Guidance and the theme of the Qur'an is "mankind" and it is not a book of science. However over 750 verses are found in the Qur'an which relate to scientific phenomena as an argument to invite the believers to the Truth. The noted scholar Afzalur Rahman in elaborating the interconnectedness between science and the Qur'an says:
The Qur'an clearly establishes the fact that science and Qur'an are two aspects of the same Truth and there is no contradiction between them... Thus the Qur'an introduces new dimensions into the study of religion and its philosophy and seeks to bring men of knowledge (scientists) closer to Allah through the study of His Attributes and manifestations in the material world.
In another verse in Surah 16, An-Nahl, the Qur'an says:
Then eat of all fruits (all produce of the earth), and follow the ways of thy Lord, made smooth (for thee). There cometh forth from their bellies a drink of hues (varying colors), wherein is healing for mankind. Lo! herein is indeed portent(Sign) for people who reflect. ......... 16: 69
Allama Yusuf Ali in his commentary states "The bee assimilates the juice of various kinds of flowers and fruit, and forms within its body the honey, which it stores in its cells of wax. The different kinds of food from which it makes its honey give different colors to the honey, e.g., it is dark-brown, light-brown, yellow, white, and so on. The taste and flavor also varies, as in the case of heather honey, the honey formed from scented flowers, and so on. As food it is sweet and wholesome, and it is used in medicine. Note that while the instinctive individual acts are described in the singular number, the produce of "their bodies" is described in the plural, as the result of their collective effort.
HONEY: A HEALING FOR MANKIND
As stated in 16:69, there is a natural healing power in honey of great benefit to mankind. This has been documented in the world's oldest medical literature. For example the Sumerans and the Egyptian physicians about 4000 years ago used honey to treat internal and external wounds, ulcers, diseases of the eyes, lungs, skin and in particular, diseases of the stomach and intestines. The Chinese, Indians, Greeks and Romans have recorded similar practices. Hippocrates, the father of Western Medicine, used honey to treat a number of diseases. Ibn Sina, the Prince among Muslim physicians listed several beneficial uses of honey in his monumental work of medicine "The Canon of Medicine". Among the uses he listed are: preservation of youthfulness, improvement of memory, a feeling of happiness, assists in digestion, increase in appetite and helps promote in one's rendering of speech.
Since 1937 it has been known that honey has antibacterial activity due to its high sugar concentration (76 g/100 ml), acidity (Ph=3.6-4.2) and the organic antibacterial compounds present in honey. The composition of honey is very complex containing a variety of biochemical compounds including vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, hormones, etc., It is used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers. Surgeons and physicians are suing honey in the treatment of gunshot wounds, ulcers, surface wounds, cuts and abrasions, in the treatment of gastroenteritis (diarrhoea). In the academia a number of Ph.D. dissertations have been written on honey, particularly on its biochemical properties. Endocrinologists say that glucose levels in blood of healthy volunteers are increased whereas among the diabetic patients it is decreased after consumption of honey.
SMARTNESS OF THE HONEYBEE
How smart is the common honeybee? It is far smarter than today's most powerful supercomputers. Modern computers can attain the amazing processing speed of 16 gigaflops or 16 billion simple arithmetic operations, such as adding two numbers, each second. On the otherhand the bee's brain shows that the lowly honeybee performs the equivalent of ten trillion operations per second. Very astounding!
In the spring of 1983, the Smithsonian Institution conducted a symposium on animal intelligence at which one of the researchers was Princeton ethologist James L. Gould, an internationally renowned expert on honeybee behavior. In one of his experiments he wanted to observe the ways bee locate new food sources. To achieve this Gould provided honeybees with desirable food sources. Once they were accustomed to feeding at the stations, he moved the food sources by a factor of 1.25 the distance of the previous move. What Gould found was that after a few such moves the honeybees no longer had to search for the new location, but anticipated Gould's behavior so accurately that he found the bees circling the new location before he had even arrived and waiting for their food. The honeybees were able to construct quite a complex simulation of reality in their tiny brains (less than 10 milligrams) and deduce from past experience where Gould was going to place the food next.
The bee does all of this while consuming a lot less power than a computer. According to Byte magazine, "a honeybee's brain dissipates less than 10 microwatts of energy... It is superior by about seven orders of magnitude to the most efficient of today's manufactured computers." What it means is that over ten million bee brains can operate on the power needed for a single 100-watt light bulb. The most efficient of today's computers uses hundreds of millions of times more energy to perform an equivalent number of operations. As shown above they are able to navigate across long distances to locate sources of nectar and then return to the hive and communicate directions to fellow bees. They prepare special food items such as royal jelly and beebread, for their young. They protect their home by recognizing and repelling intruders. They regularly remove garbage and other refuse from their hive. They control the climate in the hive by fanning the fresh air and sprinkling water during summer and by clustering together for warmth in the winter. When their hives become overcrowded, they are smart enough to know that some have to leave and establish new colonies and live independently. Yet, supercomputers require teams of programmers, engineers, and technicians. Bees truly are a marvel of Allah (SWT)'s creation. Is there any doubt why Surah 16, the Qur'an is called NAHL.
This article is based on Jumuah Khutbahs (Friday Sermons) the author delivered at the Islamic Center of Madison, Wisconsin, Al-Fajr Mosque, Indianapolis and Islamic Center of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. The author is considered to be the world's foremost exponent for the interpretation of Al-Qur'an in the light of modern knowledge. The author encourages feed back from the readers.
FURTHER READING
1. Kirchner, W.H. and Towne, W.F.: The Sensory Basis of the Honeybee's Dance Language. Scientific American June 1994
2. Kamaruddin, M.Y.: Honey: a healing for mankind throughout the ages. THE FOUNTAIN July-Sep, 1993, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 4-6.
3. Bee versus Computer, AWAKE February 8, 1995, pp.24-25.
4. Michael Talbot, " BEYOND THE QUANTUM " (New York, Macmillian Publishing Company) 1990, pp. 178-179
In the scientific language all the honeybees belong to the genus Apis. The honeybee communicates with other honeybee using a dance language, which the scientists have discovered to be very complicated and highly developed. Karl von Frisch of the University of Munich in Germany, in the 1940s first discovered the significance of bees' dances. Once the honeybee discovers a source of food, it returns to the hive and the forager bee recruits other bees through both sound and dances and communicates information about the location of food.
More than 2,000 years ago, Aristotle himself documented the honeybee's ability to recruit her nestmates to a good food source but did not speculate on how the communication took place. It took over 2,000 years to understand the communication system of the bee. Frisch and his followers were able to recognize a pattern in the dance. The forager walks across the vertical sheets of comb hanging in the hive and traces out the shape of a figure eight (8); she pauses in each loop to shake her body from side to side. A few potential recruits chase after the dancer attentively for some time and then fly out on their own toward the target. In 1943 von Frisch discovered that the direction in which the dancer faced during her waggling run pointed toward the food site in relation to the sun; if she waggled while facing straight upward, toward the 12 on a clockface, then the food could be found in the direction of the sun; if she waggled 60 degrees to the left of 12, facing the 10' 'O' clock, then the food lay 60 degrees to the left of the sun. In addition, he noticed that how fast the dancer completed her circuits corresponded to the distance between the hive and the feeding site; the closer the food, the more frenzied her pace. Von Frisch and his colleagues made detailed accounts of the dance language. They could observe the dance, decipher its meaning and then locate the food supply of which it spoke. This is a stunning accomplishment for scientists.
The sounds it makes with its wings are truly an essential part of the honeybee's dance language. The dancer bee emits sound signals that help the dance followers to find out where the dancer is located and how she is moving, which in turn offers them critical information regarding the direction and distance to the feeding site. The dance attenders receive these signals through the Johnston's organs located in their antennae, which are always held near the dancer. Because these organs are bilateral-one on the left and one on the dance followers can use them to judge their position with respect to the dancer and therefore understand the direction to the food. At the same time, the followers emit sounds that vibrate the comb. The forager stops her dance when she receives these signals and delivers samples of the food she has collected. These appetizers give the dance followers additional information about the taste, smell and quality of the food source. The bees attend the dancing for a while and then fly out to determine the food source on their own. If they are fortunate, they will find the food. If they fail, they will return to the nest and try again.
The exactness of the Qur'anic words in their reference to scientific phenomena occurs in Surah 16, ayath 68, which states:
"And Thy Lord inspired the bee, saying: Choose thou habitations in the hills and in the trees and in (men's) habitations."
Yusuf Ali says: "Auha: wahyan ordinarily means inspiration, the Message put into the mind or heart by Allah. Here the Bee's instinct is refereed to Allah's teaching, which id undoubtedly is.
In the above verse, Allah (SWT) is commanding the bee to choose (to make a hive) a dwelling in the hills, trees and other places which man has built. In Arabic, the verb assumes a specific form when it is in the imperative form and can be either masculine or feminine according to the context. In the Qur'an, the Arabic command of ittakhizee (go choose) is given to the bee in the feminine imperative form. It is shockingly true that only the female bee finds a new home. The queen and the workers are the heart of the hive: the male drones exist solely to mate with the queen. Thus the Qur'an makes a very accurate statement when it refers only the female bee as the one which is being commanded from Allah (SWT) to make a dwelling. As we know the Qur'an is a book of Guidance and the theme of the Qur'an is "mankind" and it is not a book of science. However over 750 verses are found in the Qur'an which relate to scientific phenomena as an argument to invite the believers to the Truth. The noted scholar Afzalur Rahman in elaborating the interconnectedness between science and the Qur'an says:
The Qur'an clearly establishes the fact that science and Qur'an are two aspects of the same Truth and there is no contradiction between them... Thus the Qur'an introduces new dimensions into the study of religion and its philosophy and seeks to bring men of knowledge (scientists) closer to Allah through the study of His Attributes and manifestations in the material world.
In another verse in Surah 16, An-Nahl, the Qur'an says:
Then eat of all fruits (all produce of the earth), and follow the ways of thy Lord, made smooth (for thee). There cometh forth from their bellies a drink of hues (varying colors), wherein is healing for mankind. Lo! herein is indeed portent(Sign) for people who reflect. ......... 16: 69
Allama Yusuf Ali in his commentary states "The bee assimilates the juice of various kinds of flowers and fruit, and forms within its body the honey, which it stores in its cells of wax. The different kinds of food from which it makes its honey give different colors to the honey, e.g., it is dark-brown, light-brown, yellow, white, and so on. The taste and flavor also varies, as in the case of heather honey, the honey formed from scented flowers, and so on. As food it is sweet and wholesome, and it is used in medicine. Note that while the instinctive individual acts are described in the singular number, the produce of "their bodies" is described in the plural, as the result of their collective effort.
HONEY: A HEALING FOR MANKIND
As stated in 16:69, there is a natural healing power in honey of great benefit to mankind. This has been documented in the world's oldest medical literature. For example the Sumerans and the Egyptian physicians about 4000 years ago used honey to treat internal and external wounds, ulcers, diseases of the eyes, lungs, skin and in particular, diseases of the stomach and intestines. The Chinese, Indians, Greeks and Romans have recorded similar practices. Hippocrates, the father of Western Medicine, used honey to treat a number of diseases. Ibn Sina, the Prince among Muslim physicians listed several beneficial uses of honey in his monumental work of medicine "The Canon of Medicine". Among the uses he listed are: preservation of youthfulness, improvement of memory, a feeling of happiness, assists in digestion, increase in appetite and helps promote in one's rendering of speech.
Since 1937 it has been known that honey has antibacterial activity due to its high sugar concentration (76 g/100 ml), acidity (Ph=3.6-4.2) and the organic antibacterial compounds present in honey. The composition of honey is very complex containing a variety of biochemical compounds including vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, hormones, etc., It is used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers. Surgeons and physicians are suing honey in the treatment of gunshot wounds, ulcers, surface wounds, cuts and abrasions, in the treatment of gastroenteritis (diarrhoea). In the academia a number of Ph.D. dissertations have been written on honey, particularly on its biochemical properties. Endocrinologists say that glucose levels in blood of healthy volunteers are increased whereas among the diabetic patients it is decreased after consumption of honey.
SMARTNESS OF THE HONEYBEE
How smart is the common honeybee? It is far smarter than today's most powerful supercomputers. Modern computers can attain the amazing processing speed of 16 gigaflops or 16 billion simple arithmetic operations, such as adding two numbers, each second. On the otherhand the bee's brain shows that the lowly honeybee performs the equivalent of ten trillion operations per second. Very astounding!
In the spring of 1983, the Smithsonian Institution conducted a symposium on animal intelligence at which one of the researchers was Princeton ethologist James L. Gould, an internationally renowned expert on honeybee behavior. In one of his experiments he wanted to observe the ways bee locate new food sources. To achieve this Gould provided honeybees with desirable food sources. Once they were accustomed to feeding at the stations, he moved the food sources by a factor of 1.25 the distance of the previous move. What Gould found was that after a few such moves the honeybees no longer had to search for the new location, but anticipated Gould's behavior so accurately that he found the bees circling the new location before he had even arrived and waiting for their food. The honeybees were able to construct quite a complex simulation of reality in their tiny brains (less than 10 milligrams) and deduce from past experience where Gould was going to place the food next.
The bee does all of this while consuming a lot less power than a computer. According to Byte magazine, "a honeybee's brain dissipates less than 10 microwatts of energy... It is superior by about seven orders of magnitude to the most efficient of today's manufactured computers." What it means is that over ten million bee brains can operate on the power needed for a single 100-watt light bulb. The most efficient of today's computers uses hundreds of millions of times more energy to perform an equivalent number of operations. As shown above they are able to navigate across long distances to locate sources of nectar and then return to the hive and communicate directions to fellow bees. They prepare special food items such as royal jelly and beebread, for their young. They protect their home by recognizing and repelling intruders. They regularly remove garbage and other refuse from their hive. They control the climate in the hive by fanning the fresh air and sprinkling water during summer and by clustering together for warmth in the winter. When their hives become overcrowded, they are smart enough to know that some have to leave and establish new colonies and live independently. Yet, supercomputers require teams of programmers, engineers, and technicians. Bees truly are a marvel of Allah (SWT)'s creation. Is there any doubt why Surah 16, the Qur'an is called NAHL.
This article is based on Jumuah Khutbahs (Friday Sermons) the author delivered at the Islamic Center of Madison, Wisconsin, Al-Fajr Mosque, Indianapolis and Islamic Center of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. The author is considered to be the world's foremost exponent for the interpretation of Al-Qur'an in the light of modern knowledge. The author encourages feed back from the readers.
FURTHER READING
1. Kirchner, W.H. and Towne, W.F.: The Sensory Basis of the Honeybee's Dance Language. Scientific American June 1994
2. Kamaruddin, M.Y.: Honey: a healing for mankind throughout the ages. THE FOUNTAIN July-Sep, 1993, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 4-6.
3. Bee versus Computer, AWAKE February 8, 1995, pp.24-25.
4. Michael Talbot, " BEYOND THE QUANTUM " (New York, Macmillian Publishing Company) 1990, pp. 178-179
Ramadan: From Passionate to Compassionate
This RAMADAN KHUTBAH was delivered by Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed, President of the Islamic Research Foundation of Louisville, KY on JAN. 16, 1998 at the Islamic Center of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky.
O ye who believer!Fasting is prescribed to you
As it was prescribed
To those before you,
That ye may(learn)
Self -restraint-
(Fasting) for a fixed
Number of days;
But if any of you is ill,
Or on a journey,
The prescribed number
(Should be made up)
From days later,
For those who can do it
(With hardship), is a ransom,
The feeding of one
That is indigent.
But he that will give
More, of his own free will-
It is better for him.
And it is better for you
That ye fast
If ye only knew.
(Surah 2: Al Baqarah, 183-184)
Islam proceeded step by step and by degrees in the imposition of most of its obligatory duties and Fasting was no exception. The Noble Prophet(pbuh) advised Muslims to observe fasts for three days in a month but this was not obligatory. Then in the second year of Hijra, the Command(2:183) about fasting in the month of Ramadan was revealed. Verse 185 in Surah Al Baqarah was revealed next year. The first Commandment about fasting contained in vv. 183-184 was revealed in the second year of Hijrah before the battle of Badr. The subsequent verse which superseded it was revealed a year later but was inserted here because it dealt with the same matter.
Siyam or Fasting during the month of Ramadan is Third Pillar of Islam. Muslims wait all year long for the arrival of this month of Ramadan. FASTING MEANS from dawn until sunset eating, drinking and sexual intercourse is forbidden. Ramadan is the month of patience. A person who is ready to be patient, not to eat while he is hungry, not to drink while he is thirsty, not to lean to his lusts, such a person is a noble individual. Such a person will be given paradise by Allah(SWT) as a gift, as a merit of award.
To train yourself to abstain from the essentials of life is not an easy act. It needs a strong personality to dictate self-control, self-discipline and self-restraint. Fasting develops self-control and helps Muslims overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. It is an annual training program to refresh us for carrying out our duties towards Allah. A person who can restrain himself, for the love and pleasure of Allah, deserves a reward from the Creator Himself. The hardship of fasting brings the glad tidings that the fasting undertaken for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah is sure to be accepted by the Most Merciful Lord.
Fast in which the spirit of Fasting is not observed is only an exercise in starvation but not really a Fast at all. The prophet(pubh) said “ whosoever does not give up telling lies, or
acting in a false manner, Allah has no need for his giving up his eating or drinking.”
The basic purpose of Fasting is to suffuse us with the quality of taqwa. The term “taqwa” implies fear and precaution and in Islamic terminology it means fear of Allah or God Consciousness and avoidance of disobedience to Him. Literally, taqwa means: Godliness, devotees or piety. According to the scientific meaning, it signifies a screen between two things. Thus, if the servant submits himself to Allah’s will by carrying out all obligatory duties with which he has been commanded and abstains from that which Allah has prohibited, then his obedient actions have placed a screen between himself and Allah’s punishment. That is called taqwa. In our life journey we face innumerable temptations and we must shun them and stick scrupulously to the path of righteousness and truth- that is what constitutes taqwa, and for generating this taqwa. Taqwa is attained through knowledge which is coupled with true faith(iman). If we do not possess knowledge, we cannot really show piety. To obey the commands of Allah and to carry out His laws constitutes taqwa. Fasting has been made obligatory on us. We are made conscious about the needs and deprivation of those who are more in need than ourselves. This heightening of one’s sense of sacrifice is the opposite of selfishness and of a desire to exploit or oppress someone for the sake of gain. Allah(SWT) does not need our hunger, but fasting helps us to develop and refine our reflex about right and wrong, our sense of love and gratitude. Ramadan teaches us how to control our animal passions, how to bring them under discipline. The end result is manifestation of a human personality that loves Allah and loves His creation, that fears none but Allah, that draws all its strength from Allah and Allah alone.
Ramadan is also the month of the Qur’an, the month in which the Qur’an was revealed.The moral and spiritual climate of Ramadan helps the flourishing of the Qur’anic message which the ambiance is of goodness, humility, righteousness, love for good and aversion for evil.
BENEFITS OF SIYAAM:
Besides the feeling of hunger and thirst, fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort. It helps us to keep our sexual desires within control. Siyaam builds and nourishes the soul of the fasting Muslim. The fasting person enriches his fasting by the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of the Qur’an, the night prayers, Zakah, Sadaqah(charity), and by refraining from sins and obscenity. The fasting person lowers his gaze and suppresses his desires. He guards his tongue from vain talk and obscenities. He guards his hands and legs from the prohibitions of Allah. He employs his hands and legs in the good and various deeds. Siyaam is not the mere refraining from eating and drinking, it is also refraining from vanity and obscenity. Siyaam builds a strong will and nourishes the truthful zeal in the soul. This is achieved when the fasting person struggles to work for his livelihood and resists his desires and temptations. Siyaam builds the strength to bear difficulties and hardship and instills the character of perseverance. The fasting person by depriving himself from food and drink, and other necessities of life becomes capable of controlling his desires, capricious whims, and temptations. The purpose of fasting is to enable a Muslim to control his passions, so that he becomes a person of good deeds and intentions. If one fasts from dawn to sunset, but continues to be abusive to one’s spouse and children, tell lies, swears wrongly under oath, commits zina, cheats one’s children by not giving them what is duly theirs of nafaqah in the form of care and love and indulgence in other wrongful acts, then the objective of fasting has not been achieved. Anger, a common human weakness, can also be brought under control by fasting. A Muslim should keep away from all bad actions during his fast. He should not lie, break a promise or do any deceitful act. Fasting in Ramadan helps one to develop good habits and suppress or eliminate bad habits such as smoking, drinking coffee, tea, etc. One can avoid or cut down on excessive consumption of food.
A fasting person has feelings of sympathy for the poor. The sense of compassion springs from the feeling of pain. Fasting is a practical means to develop compassion for other people’s sufferings. The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) himself was very generous during Ramadan.
Ramadan instills unity and equality among all the members of the Muslim ummah. The Muslims fast during the same month, perform qiyaam al lail during the nights of this month and all seek the night of Qadr. They offer zakat-ul-fitr at the end of the month and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together. By doing this together during this month of Ramadan, the ummah becomes like one body living in harmony. The fasting person is alert and cautious not to fall into something that might spoil his or her fasting or seek the wrath of Allah.
Fasting elevates the person from the material life to a higher spiritual life and helps him or her to approach a spiritual level that of angels who worship Allah day and night without tiredness.
Fasting builds important Islamic values, such as compassion, cooperation, diligence, firmness, affection, fear of Allah, trust in Allah, and many other qualities. Fasting establishes equality among the rich and the poor. It is a compulsory experience of poverty in that it makes all people share an quality, of feeling and to sympathize with one another through a collective sense of pain. Fasting Muslims can really sympathize with the starving people everywhere in the world and see the hardship that they go through every day of their lives. This compassion increases the practical aspect of the unity of Muslims and will reduce the idea of nationality and geographical identity. Allah is pleased with his servants and answers the duaa of the fasting person, when he supplicates to Him.
During the month of Ramadan, one should visit and offer prayers more frequently in the local mosques. Ramadan is a special time for visiting friends and family and sharing meals with the less fortunate.
The Prophet(pbuh) said, “ O people! The month of Ramadan has come with His mercy, blessing and forgiveness. Allah(SWT) has decreed this month the best of all months. Its days are the best among days, its nights best among nights, and its hours best among hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him to fast and pray. Allah(SWT) has honored you in it. Every breath you take in this month has the reward of praise of Allah(SWT). Your sleep in worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations answered.
Therefore you must invoke your Lord in earnest, with hearts that are free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah(SWT) helps you fast, and recite the Qur’an. Give alms to the poor and the needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind toward your relatives and kinsfolk. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing and your ears from sounds that should not be heard. Understand well that Allah(SWT) has promised in the Name of His Majesty and Honor that He will not take to task such people who perform Salaat and Sajda and that He will guard their bodies against the fire of hell on the Day of Judgment.
O’ people! If anyone among you arranges Iftar for any believer, then Allah(SWT) will reward him and forgive him his previous sins. (A companion of the prophet(pbuh) asked: “But not everyone among us have the means to do so.” The prophet replied: “Do it even if it be with half a date or some water if you have nothing else.”)
O’ people! Anyone who cultivates in this month good manners will walk over the bridge leading to paradise on the day when feet will tend to slip. Anyone who treats his kinsfolk well in it, Allah will bestow His mercy on him on the Day of Judgment while anyone who mistreats his kinsfolk, Allah will keep him away from His mercy. Whoever recites a verse of the Qur’an in this month, his reward will be that of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.
O’people! The gates of paradise remain open in this month: pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. The gates of hell are closed during this month: pray that they may never be opened for you. Satan has been handcuffed: invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”
May Allah(SWT) make us become kinder people, better neighbors and set good examples of the teachings of Islam which we present. Ameen!
O ye who believer!Fasting is prescribed to you
As it was prescribed
To those before you,
That ye may(learn)
Self -restraint-
(Fasting) for a fixed
Number of days;
But if any of you is ill,
Or on a journey,
The prescribed number
(Should be made up)
From days later,
For those who can do it
(With hardship), is a ransom,
The feeding of one
That is indigent.
But he that will give
More, of his own free will-
It is better for him.
And it is better for you
That ye fast
If ye only knew.
(Surah 2: Al Baqarah, 183-184)
Islam proceeded step by step and by degrees in the imposition of most of its obligatory duties and Fasting was no exception. The Noble Prophet(pbuh) advised Muslims to observe fasts for three days in a month but this was not obligatory. Then in the second year of Hijra, the Command(2:183) about fasting in the month of Ramadan was revealed. Verse 185 in Surah Al Baqarah was revealed next year. The first Commandment about fasting contained in vv. 183-184 was revealed in the second year of Hijrah before the battle of Badr. The subsequent verse which superseded it was revealed a year later but was inserted here because it dealt with the same matter.
Siyam or Fasting during the month of Ramadan is Third Pillar of Islam. Muslims wait all year long for the arrival of this month of Ramadan. FASTING MEANS from dawn until sunset eating, drinking and sexual intercourse is forbidden. Ramadan is the month of patience. A person who is ready to be patient, not to eat while he is hungry, not to drink while he is thirsty, not to lean to his lusts, such a person is a noble individual. Such a person will be given paradise by Allah(SWT) as a gift, as a merit of award.
To train yourself to abstain from the essentials of life is not an easy act. It needs a strong personality to dictate self-control, self-discipline and self-restraint. Fasting develops self-control and helps Muslims overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. It is an annual training program to refresh us for carrying out our duties towards Allah. A person who can restrain himself, for the love and pleasure of Allah, deserves a reward from the Creator Himself. The hardship of fasting brings the glad tidings that the fasting undertaken for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah is sure to be accepted by the Most Merciful Lord.
Fast in which the spirit of Fasting is not observed is only an exercise in starvation but not really a Fast at all. The prophet(pubh) said “ whosoever does not give up telling lies, or
acting in a false manner, Allah has no need for his giving up his eating or drinking.”
The basic purpose of Fasting is to suffuse us with the quality of taqwa. The term “taqwa” implies fear and precaution and in Islamic terminology it means fear of Allah or God Consciousness and avoidance of disobedience to Him. Literally, taqwa means: Godliness, devotees or piety. According to the scientific meaning, it signifies a screen between two things. Thus, if the servant submits himself to Allah’s will by carrying out all obligatory duties with which he has been commanded and abstains from that which Allah has prohibited, then his obedient actions have placed a screen between himself and Allah’s punishment. That is called taqwa. In our life journey we face innumerable temptations and we must shun them and stick scrupulously to the path of righteousness and truth- that is what constitutes taqwa, and for generating this taqwa. Taqwa is attained through knowledge which is coupled with true faith(iman). If we do not possess knowledge, we cannot really show piety. To obey the commands of Allah and to carry out His laws constitutes taqwa. Fasting has been made obligatory on us. We are made conscious about the needs and deprivation of those who are more in need than ourselves. This heightening of one’s sense of sacrifice is the opposite of selfishness and of a desire to exploit or oppress someone for the sake of gain. Allah(SWT) does not need our hunger, but fasting helps us to develop and refine our reflex about right and wrong, our sense of love and gratitude. Ramadan teaches us how to control our animal passions, how to bring them under discipline. The end result is manifestation of a human personality that loves Allah and loves His creation, that fears none but Allah, that draws all its strength from Allah and Allah alone.
Ramadan is also the month of the Qur’an, the month in which the Qur’an was revealed.The moral and spiritual climate of Ramadan helps the flourishing of the Qur’anic message which the ambiance is of goodness, humility, righteousness, love for good and aversion for evil.
BENEFITS OF SIYAAM:
Besides the feeling of hunger and thirst, fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort. It helps us to keep our sexual desires within control. Siyaam builds and nourishes the soul of the fasting Muslim. The fasting person enriches his fasting by the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of the Qur’an, the night prayers, Zakah, Sadaqah(charity), and by refraining from sins and obscenity. The fasting person lowers his gaze and suppresses his desires. He guards his tongue from vain talk and obscenities. He guards his hands and legs from the prohibitions of Allah. He employs his hands and legs in the good and various deeds. Siyaam is not the mere refraining from eating and drinking, it is also refraining from vanity and obscenity. Siyaam builds a strong will and nourishes the truthful zeal in the soul. This is achieved when the fasting person struggles to work for his livelihood and resists his desires and temptations. Siyaam builds the strength to bear difficulties and hardship and instills the character of perseverance. The fasting person by depriving himself from food and drink, and other necessities of life becomes capable of controlling his desires, capricious whims, and temptations. The purpose of fasting is to enable a Muslim to control his passions, so that he becomes a person of good deeds and intentions. If one fasts from dawn to sunset, but continues to be abusive to one’s spouse and children, tell lies, swears wrongly under oath, commits zina, cheats one’s children by not giving them what is duly theirs of nafaqah in the form of care and love and indulgence in other wrongful acts, then the objective of fasting has not been achieved. Anger, a common human weakness, can also be brought under control by fasting. A Muslim should keep away from all bad actions during his fast. He should not lie, break a promise or do any deceitful act. Fasting in Ramadan helps one to develop good habits and suppress or eliminate bad habits such as smoking, drinking coffee, tea, etc. One can avoid or cut down on excessive consumption of food.
A fasting person has feelings of sympathy for the poor. The sense of compassion springs from the feeling of pain. Fasting is a practical means to develop compassion for other people’s sufferings. The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) himself was very generous during Ramadan.
Ramadan instills unity and equality among all the members of the Muslim ummah. The Muslims fast during the same month, perform qiyaam al lail during the nights of this month and all seek the night of Qadr. They offer zakat-ul-fitr at the end of the month and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together. By doing this together during this month of Ramadan, the ummah becomes like one body living in harmony. The fasting person is alert and cautious not to fall into something that might spoil his or her fasting or seek the wrath of Allah.
Fasting elevates the person from the material life to a higher spiritual life and helps him or her to approach a spiritual level that of angels who worship Allah day and night without tiredness.
Fasting builds important Islamic values, such as compassion, cooperation, diligence, firmness, affection, fear of Allah, trust in Allah, and many other qualities. Fasting establishes equality among the rich and the poor. It is a compulsory experience of poverty in that it makes all people share an quality, of feeling and to sympathize with one another through a collective sense of pain. Fasting Muslims can really sympathize with the starving people everywhere in the world and see the hardship that they go through every day of their lives. This compassion increases the practical aspect of the unity of Muslims and will reduce the idea of nationality and geographical identity. Allah is pleased with his servants and answers the duaa of the fasting person, when he supplicates to Him.
During the month of Ramadan, one should visit and offer prayers more frequently in the local mosques. Ramadan is a special time for visiting friends and family and sharing meals with the less fortunate.
The Prophet(pbuh) said, “ O people! The month of Ramadan has come with His mercy, blessing and forgiveness. Allah(SWT) has decreed this month the best of all months. Its days are the best among days, its nights best among nights, and its hours best among hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him to fast and pray. Allah(SWT) has honored you in it. Every breath you take in this month has the reward of praise of Allah(SWT). Your sleep in worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations answered.
Therefore you must invoke your Lord in earnest, with hearts that are free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah(SWT) helps you fast, and recite the Qur’an. Give alms to the poor and the needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind toward your relatives and kinsfolk. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing and your ears from sounds that should not be heard. Understand well that Allah(SWT) has promised in the Name of His Majesty and Honor that He will not take to task such people who perform Salaat and Sajda and that He will guard their bodies against the fire of hell on the Day of Judgment.
O’ people! If anyone among you arranges Iftar for any believer, then Allah(SWT) will reward him and forgive him his previous sins. (A companion of the prophet(pbuh) asked: “But not everyone among us have the means to do so.” The prophet replied: “Do it even if it be with half a date or some water if you have nothing else.”)
O’ people! Anyone who cultivates in this month good manners will walk over the bridge leading to paradise on the day when feet will tend to slip. Anyone who treats his kinsfolk well in it, Allah will bestow His mercy on him on the Day of Judgment while anyone who mistreats his kinsfolk, Allah will keep him away from His mercy. Whoever recites a verse of the Qur’an in this month, his reward will be that of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.
O’people! The gates of paradise remain open in this month: pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. The gates of hell are closed during this month: pray that they may never be opened for you. Satan has been handcuffed: invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”
May Allah(SWT) make us become kinder people, better neighbors and set good examples of the teachings of Islam which we present. Ameen!
Comets of Ice
Comets orbiting a distant star have been discovered to contain water. In the Journal Nature dated July 12, 2001 scientists claimed that it is the first time the ingredient considered key to life has been discovered in objects circling a star other than our sun which is also a star. This discovery supports the theory that other planetary systems may be similar to our own solar system and may contain chemicals that are essential to the formation of life, as we know it. This particular star is identified as CW Leonis and is located some 3,000 trillion miles from Earth in the constellation Leo. Scientists have no way of knowing whether life ever existed on any comets or planets orbiting this particular star. One conclusion is that no life could exist there now. The reason for this conclusion is that this star has burned out the last of its nuclear fuel and the star has swelled and increased in luminosity, engulfing nearby objects and melting comets in orbits as distant as Neptune is from our own sun -- releasing the water that astronomers spotted using a radio-telescope in outer space.
Gary Melnic, chief scientist on the project and an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, regrets that the existence of these bodies is measured through their destruction. He says that there could have been water closer to the star, bolstering the idea that life may have existed outside our solar system. Scientists have believed that the comets helped build life on earth. The comets along with important chemicals bring the water in our oceans as they hurtled through earth's atmosphere.
The amount of water estimated from the distant comets is about 10 times the mass of earth. By peeking at the dying star far in the distance and therefore long in the past, scientists said they had also glimpsed for the first time a vision of the fiery future of our won world. As our sun begins to die in about 6 billion years, it will also first grow larger and hotter, vaporizing earth's oceans, reducing planets and comets to cinders. Scientists have never before seen the effects of a dying star on its surroundings, although the process is not thought to be uncommon. Every star in the galaxies comprising of billion stars in the universe will go though similar cycles of destruction.
QUR'ANIC REVELATIONS
It has been shown that Islam is not in conflict with science and that Al Qur'an does not contradict or negate modem scientific findings or discoveries. On the other hand, Western scholars have praised and credited Islam for the preservation and advancement of scientific knowledge by Muslim scientists, physicians and technologists. 1,400 years later, modem science is bringing to light the truths or confirming what has been revealed in Al Qur'an. A learned Muslim will find in the Quran scientific truths and realities.
Consider the following Qur'anic Verse:
Have you not seen how Allah wafteth the clouds, then gathers them, then makes them layers, and you see the rain come forth from between them,………… Surah An-Nur 24: 43 (first half)
Here Allah Ta'ala is describing the formation of rain clouds and the rainfall from the clouds. This phenomenon is very common and known to every human being. But what is not known to the human beings are the truths that are found in the following ayah from the Noble Qur'an.
'Wa anz'ala min'assa maai' Ma'an….'
'And causeth water to descend from the heavens. '
…. 'Surah Baqara 2: 22, Surah Ibrahim 14: 22 and Surah An-Nahl, 16: 10, & 65.
Now the question is why does Allah Ta'ala says that He causes the water to descend from the heavens, in apparent contradiction to the An-Nur, 24: 43 first half of the verse cited above. If carefully studied, the following verse makes no sense and the disbelievers would belittle the Noble Qur'an :
'...He sendeth down from the heaven mountains wherein is hail…"
……………Surah An-Nur, 24: 43 (Second Half)
All the Mufassareen (interpreters of the Qur'an) did not give the right Tafsir (interpretation) of this verse. Hail is frozen rain or stones of frozen water. This ayah very clearly states that Allah sends down from the Heavens Mountains containing ice or comets of ice. According to this ayah, mountains of ice or comets of ice are sent down from the heavens (space) towards the earth. Until 1986 mankind did not know this phenomenon. In 1988 this phenomenon has been confirmed scientifically.
Scientific Discovery
The story of this startling scientific discovery and its confirmation by experimentation is worth mentioning here. Dr. Louis Frank a Physicist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, studied the data gathered from 1981-1986 by Dynamic Explorer I satellite. The satellite took ultraviolet Images of the earth, particularly to study the air glow around the earth. In these images Dr.Louis Frank found holes punched through the atmosphere. These holes could not be explained. He discarded dozens of explanations after analyzing them. He finally concluded that snowballs or comets of Ice coming from space could only make the holes. He estimated the weight of each comet to be 100 tons and they are coated with black hydrocarbons. They are falling on the earth at the rate of 10 million a year (27,397 per day or 19 every minute.)
The snowball or comet of ice measures about 30 feet across. Dr.Clayne Yeates, a Physicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California told this writer that the comets of ice or snowballs are moving at 10 kilometers per second (21,600 MPH) relative to the earth and at about 1000 km (600 miles) above the earth. They break up (into hail) due to tidal waves and would then flash to vapor in the atmosphere. Finally the vapor would fall as rain and joins the earth's water cycle. Dr. Louis Frank's calculations show this would contribute the equivalent of one Inch of water all over the earth's surface every 10,000 years. The earth was formed 4.9 billion years ago and if this has been happening since formation of the earth, the process would provide enough water for the oceans and the polar Ice packs.
Experimental Proof
Dr.Yeates used a powerful space search telescope at the Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. Using this telescope he scanned the heavens for the snowballs or icy comets. By swinging the telescope, similar to a shotgun at a skeet shoot, he photographed the descending icy comets approaching each. He told this writer that viewing through this telescope he was able to see the icy comets 150,000-km (kilometers) or 90,000 miles above the earth (or the heavens). Dr.Yeates said. It was remarkable. The results agreed exactly with the predictions.
GLOSSARY
Comets
Appearance:
Seeing a comet with the naked eye is a somewhat rare occurrence. On the average we get a naked-eye comet once every five or six years and this includes comets that become barely visible to the naked eye. Classic comets with long tails only appear about once every 10-12 years. The motion is very difficult to detect and comparing its place with naked-eye stars over several days is the only way to see it move. In general, comets are best observed with telescopes or binoculars.
What are They?
Comets are primarily composed of ice and dust, causing some astronomers to refer to them as "dirty snowballs." They typically move through the solar system in orbits ranging from a few years to several hundred thousand years. Comets are not on fire. As they approach the sun, the sun's heat melts the comet's ices and releases dust particles, which are most evident as the comet's tail. Comets rarely come within a few million miles of Earth and, thus, have a slow apparent motion across our sky. Typical comets remain visible for periods of several weeks up to several months.
Meteors
Appearance:
Meteors appear as fast-moving streaks of light in the night sky. They are frequently referred to as "falling stars" or "shooting stars." Most are white or blue-white in appearance, although other frequent colors are yellow, orange. The colors seem more related to the speed of the meteor rather than composition. Red meteors occasionally appear as very long streaks and are usually indicative of a meteor that is skimming the atmosphere. Green meteors are also occasionally seen and are usually very bright. The green color may be a result of ionized oxygen.
What are They?
Meteoroids are the smallest particles orbiting the sun, and most are no larger than grains of sand. From years of studying the evolution of meteor streams, astronomers have concluded that comets produced clouds of meteoroids orbiting the sun. Meteoroids can not be observed moving through space because of their small size. Over the years numerous man-made satellites recovered by manned spacecraft have shown pits in their metal skins, which were caused by the impact of meteoroids.
Meteoroids become visible to observers on Earth when they enter Earth's atmosphere. They are then referred to as meteors. They become visible as a result of friction caused by air molecules slamming against the surface of the high-velocity particle. The friction typically causes meteors to glow blue or white, although other colors have been reported. Most meteors completely burn up in the atmosphere at altitudes of between 60 and 80 miles. They are rarely seen for periods of more than a few seconds.
Occasionally, a large meteor will not burn up completely as it moves through Earth's atmosphere. The subsequent pieces that fall to Earth's surface are known as meteorites.
Asteroids
Appearance:
Out of more than 10 thousand numbered asteroids, only Vesta has consistently been a naked-eye object if the observer has extremely dark skies and the asteroid is moving in relatively star-poor regions of the sky. The motion of asteroids is similar to that of comets in that the position must be plotted on a star chart over two or three days for motion to be detected.
What are They?
Asteroids, or minor planets, have been described as "mountains in space." They are large rocks typically ranging from a few feet to several hundred miles across. The vast majority of asteroids move between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in what is commonly called the "asteroid belt." They always appear starlike and their motion with respect to the stars is usually so slow that several hours may pass before any movement is noticed. Most asteroids within the asteroid belt never come closer than 100 million miles from Earth, but there are some asteroids which come close to and even cross Earth's orbit. These objects can occasionally pass within a few million miles of Earth, and even within the orbit of the moon, and then exhibit a rapid motion that is discernible after only a few minutes. Asteroids within the asteroid belt can be observed every year, while the ones passing especially close to Earth may only be visible for a few weeks or months.
Gary Melnic, chief scientist on the project and an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, regrets that the existence of these bodies is measured through their destruction. He says that there could have been water closer to the star, bolstering the idea that life may have existed outside our solar system. Scientists have believed that the comets helped build life on earth. The comets along with important chemicals bring the water in our oceans as they hurtled through earth's atmosphere.
The amount of water estimated from the distant comets is about 10 times the mass of earth. By peeking at the dying star far in the distance and therefore long in the past, scientists said they had also glimpsed for the first time a vision of the fiery future of our won world. As our sun begins to die in about 6 billion years, it will also first grow larger and hotter, vaporizing earth's oceans, reducing planets and comets to cinders. Scientists have never before seen the effects of a dying star on its surroundings, although the process is not thought to be uncommon. Every star in the galaxies comprising of billion stars in the universe will go though similar cycles of destruction.
QUR'ANIC REVELATIONS
It has been shown that Islam is not in conflict with science and that Al Qur'an does not contradict or negate modem scientific findings or discoveries. On the other hand, Western scholars have praised and credited Islam for the preservation and advancement of scientific knowledge by Muslim scientists, physicians and technologists. 1,400 years later, modem science is bringing to light the truths or confirming what has been revealed in Al Qur'an. A learned Muslim will find in the Quran scientific truths and realities.
Consider the following Qur'anic Verse:
Have you not seen how Allah wafteth the clouds, then gathers them, then makes them layers, and you see the rain come forth from between them,………… Surah An-Nur 24: 43 (first half)
Here Allah Ta'ala is describing the formation of rain clouds and the rainfall from the clouds. This phenomenon is very common and known to every human being. But what is not known to the human beings are the truths that are found in the following ayah from the Noble Qur'an.
'Wa anz'ala min'assa maai' Ma'an….'
'And causeth water to descend from the heavens. '
…. 'Surah Baqara 2: 22, Surah Ibrahim 14: 22 and Surah An-Nahl, 16: 10, & 65.
Now the question is why does Allah Ta'ala says that He causes the water to descend from the heavens, in apparent contradiction to the An-Nur, 24: 43 first half of the verse cited above. If carefully studied, the following verse makes no sense and the disbelievers would belittle the Noble Qur'an :
'...He sendeth down from the heaven mountains wherein is hail…"
……………Surah An-Nur, 24: 43 (Second Half)
All the Mufassareen (interpreters of the Qur'an) did not give the right Tafsir (interpretation) of this verse. Hail is frozen rain or stones of frozen water. This ayah very clearly states that Allah sends down from the Heavens Mountains containing ice or comets of ice. According to this ayah, mountains of ice or comets of ice are sent down from the heavens (space) towards the earth. Until 1986 mankind did not know this phenomenon. In 1988 this phenomenon has been confirmed scientifically.
Scientific Discovery
The story of this startling scientific discovery and its confirmation by experimentation is worth mentioning here. Dr. Louis Frank a Physicist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, studied the data gathered from 1981-1986 by Dynamic Explorer I satellite. The satellite took ultraviolet Images of the earth, particularly to study the air glow around the earth. In these images Dr.Louis Frank found holes punched through the atmosphere. These holes could not be explained. He discarded dozens of explanations after analyzing them. He finally concluded that snowballs or comets of Ice coming from space could only make the holes. He estimated the weight of each comet to be 100 tons and they are coated with black hydrocarbons. They are falling on the earth at the rate of 10 million a year (27,397 per day or 19 every minute.)
The snowball or comet of ice measures about 30 feet across. Dr.Clayne Yeates, a Physicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California told this writer that the comets of ice or snowballs are moving at 10 kilometers per second (21,600 MPH) relative to the earth and at about 1000 km (600 miles) above the earth. They break up (into hail) due to tidal waves and would then flash to vapor in the atmosphere. Finally the vapor would fall as rain and joins the earth's water cycle. Dr. Louis Frank's calculations show this would contribute the equivalent of one Inch of water all over the earth's surface every 10,000 years. The earth was formed 4.9 billion years ago and if this has been happening since formation of the earth, the process would provide enough water for the oceans and the polar Ice packs.
Experimental Proof
Dr.Yeates used a powerful space search telescope at the Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. Using this telescope he scanned the heavens for the snowballs or icy comets. By swinging the telescope, similar to a shotgun at a skeet shoot, he photographed the descending icy comets approaching each. He told this writer that viewing through this telescope he was able to see the icy comets 150,000-km (kilometers) or 90,000 miles above the earth (or the heavens). Dr.Yeates said. It was remarkable. The results agreed exactly with the predictions.
GLOSSARY
Comets
Appearance:
Seeing a comet with the naked eye is a somewhat rare occurrence. On the average we get a naked-eye comet once every five or six years and this includes comets that become barely visible to the naked eye. Classic comets with long tails only appear about once every 10-12 years. The motion is very difficult to detect and comparing its place with naked-eye stars over several days is the only way to see it move. In general, comets are best observed with telescopes or binoculars.
What are They?
Comets are primarily composed of ice and dust, causing some astronomers to refer to them as "dirty snowballs." They typically move through the solar system in orbits ranging from a few years to several hundred thousand years. Comets are not on fire. As they approach the sun, the sun's heat melts the comet's ices and releases dust particles, which are most evident as the comet's tail. Comets rarely come within a few million miles of Earth and, thus, have a slow apparent motion across our sky. Typical comets remain visible for periods of several weeks up to several months.
Meteors
Appearance:
Meteors appear as fast-moving streaks of light in the night sky. They are frequently referred to as "falling stars" or "shooting stars." Most are white or blue-white in appearance, although other frequent colors are yellow, orange. The colors seem more related to the speed of the meteor rather than composition. Red meteors occasionally appear as very long streaks and are usually indicative of a meteor that is skimming the atmosphere. Green meteors are also occasionally seen and are usually very bright. The green color may be a result of ionized oxygen.
What are They?
Meteoroids are the smallest particles orbiting the sun, and most are no larger than grains of sand. From years of studying the evolution of meteor streams, astronomers have concluded that comets produced clouds of meteoroids orbiting the sun. Meteoroids can not be observed moving through space because of their small size. Over the years numerous man-made satellites recovered by manned spacecraft have shown pits in their metal skins, which were caused by the impact of meteoroids.
Meteoroids become visible to observers on Earth when they enter Earth's atmosphere. They are then referred to as meteors. They become visible as a result of friction caused by air molecules slamming against the surface of the high-velocity particle. The friction typically causes meteors to glow blue or white, although other colors have been reported. Most meteors completely burn up in the atmosphere at altitudes of between 60 and 80 miles. They are rarely seen for periods of more than a few seconds.
Occasionally, a large meteor will not burn up completely as it moves through Earth's atmosphere. The subsequent pieces that fall to Earth's surface are known as meteorites.
Asteroids
Appearance:
Out of more than 10 thousand numbered asteroids, only Vesta has consistently been a naked-eye object if the observer has extremely dark skies and the asteroid is moving in relatively star-poor regions of the sky. The motion of asteroids is similar to that of comets in that the position must be plotted on a star chart over two or three days for motion to be detected.
What are They?
Asteroids, or minor planets, have been described as "mountains in space." They are large rocks typically ranging from a few feet to several hundred miles across. The vast majority of asteroids move between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in what is commonly called the "asteroid belt." They always appear starlike and their motion with respect to the stars is usually so slow that several hours may pass before any movement is noticed. Most asteroids within the asteroid belt never come closer than 100 million miles from Earth, but there are some asteroids which come close to and even cross Earth's orbit. These objects can occasionally pass within a few million miles of Earth, and even within the orbit of the moon, and then exhibit a rapid motion that is discernible after only a few minutes. Asteroids within the asteroid belt can be observed every year, while the ones passing especially close to Earth may only be visible for a few weeks or months.
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