TRUST FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN QUR’AN
PROCEEDINGS OF THE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
(2008)
35. 06 January 2008 Creation of First Man – The Adam
How Long Ago? Where? With What
Material?
36. 03 February 2008 (Continued)
37. 02 March 2008 (Continued)
The discussion in the form of an article “Creation of Adam” can be seen under the heading “Articles on Qur’an and Science” on this website.
38. 06 April 2008 Things Which Have Been Sent Down on
Earth From Heavens
In Qur’an a number of things have been mentioned which have been “sent down” on Earth. These are:
The Qur’an (e.g. Verses 2:176, 2:185, 2:213, 2:231, 3:3, 3:7, 4:113, 4:136, 5:44, 7:2, 7:157, 9:97, 13:1, 16:44, 18:1, 25:1, 39:23, 42:17, 65:10)
Rain water and Food (e.g. Verses 2:22, 2:164, 5:114, 6:99, 10:59, 13:17, 14:32, 16:10, 16:65, 20:53, 22:63, 27:60, 35:27, 39:21, 43:11, 45:5)
Angels (e.g. Verses 2:102, 6:8, 23:24, 25:25)
Army (of Angels, (e.g. Verses 9:26, 9:40, 48:4, 48:18, 48:26)
for tranquility of
hearts of believers)
`
Iron (Verse 57:25)
Eight Animals (Verse 39:6)
For all these things the words derivatives of the Arabic word “Nazala” have been used. However, it is interesting to note that for Adam who is considered to be sent down on Earth from “Jannat”, this word has not been used, which suggests that sending down of Adam was in a different mode from rain and other such things. More detail of this topic has been given in the proceedings of 35th, 36th and 37th meetings of the Research Committee held on 6th January, 3rd February, and 2nd March 2008.
39. 04 May 2008 Importance of Water in Giving Life to the Land
40. 01 June 2008 (Continued)
41. 06 July 2008 (Continued)
Looking at the rainfall superficially, it appears to be simply a part of the world water cycle, such that when it falls on earth, the vegetation grow. However, in various verses, Allah has mentioned that in this there are signs for the intelligent and knowledgeable people and has invited people to deliberate on it. For example, Verses: 6:99, 16:10, 16:65, 30:24, 31:10, 39:21, 41:39, 45:5. Scientists have been working on this and have found that there are many more other life giving aspects of rain. Lightening and thunder form various chemicals which, after becoming a part of the water cycle, are absorbed in the earth to help the vegetation to grow. In this respect, the Nitrogen Cycle is an important factor, and an article on this topic has been placed in “Articles on Qur’an and Science” on this website. Other references on this topic are:
· The Quran Miracles - The Formation of Rain - www.55a.net/13.htm
· Water Properties - http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/waterproperties.html
· Quran Miracles / Due Measure in Rain - http://www.quranmiracles.com/articles.asp?id=45
· Rain in the Quran www.playandlearn.org
· About Rain in Quran http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Science/rain.htm
· Quran speaks about distilled water http://kharamid.blogfa.com/post-39.aspx
· Islamic Reseach Foundation International http://www.irfi.org/articles_51_100?quran_and_science_on_water.htm
· Water in the Quran http://www.institut.veolia.org/en/cahiers/water-symbolism/water-symbolism/water-quran.as
· Water Quality for Floriculture Crops http://ohioline.osu/hyg-fact/1000/1249.html
· Storm Rainfall Characterization http://cobweb.ecn.perdue.edu/~abe526/resources1/Rain/Index.html
· Water characteristics of soil: an explanation for the layman http://senwes.co.za/aft/media/artikles/2006/2006-03-01_water_characteristics_of_soil..
· Physical Characteristics of the Ocean http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/oceanphysical.htm
· Nitrogen Cycle
http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/env.htm
42. 03 August 2008 Creation of First Man —The Adam
(Second Phase of Discussion)
43. 12 October 2008 The Meanings of:
"Mashriq & Maghrib",
"Mashriqain & Maghribain", And
"Mashariq & Magharib"
44. 02 November 2008 (Continued)
The words East and West have been used in Qur’an in all the three forms of counting, i.e. singular, tasnia and plural, as given in the following:
Examples of verses using these words in singular forms:
2:115 – To Allah belong the East and the West; whichever direction you turn your face there is the presence of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Embracing and All-Knowing.
2:142 – The foolish will ask: "Why did they turn away from the Qiblah (the direction in prayer) towards which they used to face?" O Muhammad, say: "East and West belong to Allah; He guides whomever He wishes to the Right Way."
2:177 - Righteousness is not whether youu turn your face towards East or West; but the righteousness is to believe in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books and the Prophets, and to spend wealth out of love for Him
2:258 – Have you ever reflected upon the one (Namrud), to whom Allah had given him kingdom, who argued with Ibrahim (Abraham) about his Rabb. When Ibrahim said: ……… "Well, Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; just make it rise from the west."
26:28 – Musa continued:" He is the Rabb of the east and west, and all that lies between them. If you would only care and try to understand."
73:9 – He is the Rabb of the east and the west: there is no god but Him, therefore, take Him as your Protector.
Examples of verses using the words in tasnia:
43:38 – Ultimately, when that person will come to Us on the Day of Judgement, he will say to his shaitan companion: "I wish that I was far apart from you as the east is from the west: you turned out to be an evil companion."
(Please note that for both the italic words only one Arabic word “Mashriquain” in tasnia has been used meaning both east and west).
55:17 – He is Rabb of the two easts and the Rabb of the two wests.
Examples of verses using the words in plural:
37:5 – the Rabb of the heavens and of the earth and all that lies between them, and the Rabb of the easts.
70:40 – But nay! I swear by the Rabb of the easts and the wests, that We have the power
Most of the translators and Mufassirs agree that the plurals of east and west relate to every point and place of daily changing positions of sunrise and sunset collectively, while the tasnia forms are used for the two extreme positions of sunrise and sunset. There appears to be no better explanation than this so far. However, the topic is open for more deliberations. Allah has given so much importance to the collective form of easts and wests that He has included these words in His swearing (Verse 70:40).
45. 07 December 2008 The difference Between Sleep and Death
with Reference to Verse 39:42
The meeting was postponed.
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