The
very first word by which Quranic revelation is started is 'Iqra' which
means read. The first tool that mentioned is pen. Who said this powerful
comment of reading? Was it a principal of renowned college after his
retirement? Was it a famous scientist after any memorable achievement?
Was it a well known philosopher after having promoted in to any greater
position?
Nay! It was an illiterate! He ordered so after having visited a cave. It
was in a mountain called 'Jabalunnoor. Where the Jibril (A) came and
asked him to read, he informed about his illiteracy. When the angel
repeated his comment, he replayed the same. The comment came thrice and
so was the reply. Then it was revealed. "Read in the name of your Lord,
He created the man from 'Alaqa (clot). Read. Your lord is most generous
he taught with pen". |
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History
records how the irresistible strength of the command 'read' had changed
the Arab people, Prophet (Peace be upon him) taught his followers to
gain knowledge as the compulsory responsibility of each Muslim and asked
them to gain knowledge even by going to China. The condition that he
placed to free the prisoners of war was that at least ten of the
followers should be taught how to read and write. By this, Prophet
(P.B.H) was democratizing literacy (the ransom that Prophet decided for
enemies in the battle of Badar was to teach ten Muslims how to read and
write).
The divine voice 'Iqra' that aroused the Prophet (Peace be upon him)
from his meditation in the cave of Hira formed the corner stone of a new
civilization. The people who sang holding the rein of camel "qifa nabki
min dikra habibin va manzili'' (stop, let us lament in the memory of
the beloved standing near her worldly ruins) Began to pray "God, may our
knowledge be enhanced (Rabbi zidni Ilman) Love, intoxication, horse,
beauty and tribal vengeance disappeared from their imagination. Their
thoughts were centered on the circumference of earth and distance
between stars. The Greek language which was the language of their
culture till then was obscured in no time by their language. The
Intellectual splendor of Rome and Persia began to burnout in front of
the Arabs.
What happened between 6 A.D and 12 A.D in the history of Arabs is
amazing. Let us listen to the words of famous scientist and historian
George Sartan:" It is in Arabic that most fundamental and ideologically
rich books were written. Arabic was the language of science for the
human race between the half of eight century to the end of the eleventh
century. During that period, if one needed to acquire the very recent
and new knowledge, he would have learn Arabic. Hence, we can remember a
few great geniuses who had no equals in the western world like Jabir bin
Hayyan, Al kharizmi, Al Masudi, Thabari, Abulwafa, Albiruni etc. there
is no difficulty in lengthening this list to any extends. If any one
tells you that middle age was barren in the field of science just tell
them the names of these people. They all lived in the short period
between 750 and 1100 A.D.
Books on the Camel back
To taste the reformation that Islamic culture made in the Arabs it is
necessary to know about 'Baithul Hikmah' (House of wisdom), the science
study centre established by Abbasid khalif Maumun in Baghdad. Khalifa
set aside two hundred thousand Dirham of that time (equal to 7 million
Dollars or more) for the construction of this study centre which
included observatory and library. Different linguistic experts were
appointed in the Baithul Hikma. Books related to all fields of knowledge
were collected there (as much could be borne by 100 camels). Works
from languages like pahlavi, Sanskrit, Greek, Kaldiyan and Suriyani were
translated to Arabic from this centre.
Dr. Gustave Le Bon writes: 'In those days when books and libraries meant
nothing to Europeans. Many Islamic lands had books and libraries in
plenty. Indeed, in Baghdad's 'House of wisdom' there were four million
volumes, and in Cairo's Sultanic library one million, and in the library
of Syrian Tripoly three
million volumes; while in Spain alone under Muslim rule there was an
annual publication between 70 and 80 thousand volumes.(Dr.GustaveLe Ban,
History of Islamic and Arab civilization vol. III, Page 329, quoted by
Sayyed Mujthaba Musvilari. Athouhid (English journal) volume 17, No. 4).
All branches of science, from science of planets to the science of
medicine grew and spread in the Islamic civilization. Muslims were able
to achieve amazing progress in the area of knowledge within short
period.
The question is this: How became it possible for those who were looking
for rhyming words to describe the intoxicating beauty of their beloveds,
to explore the principle of numbers? Those who proclaimed the tribal
pride by reddening their swords with blood, (We went with white swords
but returns with red ones' says a poet) who come there brave enough to
suggest corrections on theory of Aristotle and Euclid?
Flood of light
It was the word murmured by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) for
twenty three years that transformed the Arabian subcontinent as if by
the power of magic. Those were not the words of the Prophet's own brain.
The Prophet performed a mission that was impossible for an individual
to do who had no background of religion and education in those days of
Arabian situation. It is obvious that the light of oracle appeared in
the Cave of Hira. The prophet (PBH) luminated Arabia like the spark of
lightning that falls from the sky. Let me quote here, the beautiful
words of Thomas Carl'laine. "That was the transformation of Arabs from
darkness to light for the Arabian land. It was though that, Arabia
gained life for the first time. Since the beginning of the world, the
poor shepherds wandered along the deserts without attracting anyone's
attention. A heroic Prophet (PUH) was sent to them with words credulous
to them. Look, world attention turned on the till ignored, the small
grew big as the world. After that, within a century Arabia stands
shining in a major part of the world in courage, pride, genius and
wisdom from Granada on one end and to Delhi on the other end. Belief
with desire is life giving. With belief, the history of a nation is
blossomed genius, spiritual elevation and nobility. These Arabs and the
man named Muhammad (PHB) wasn't it like a spark of fire fallen upon an
infinite and dark world? But, look; that enflames till the sky like the
exploded gun powder from Delhi to Granada. I said: Great soul was always
like the lightning that comes from the sky and others stood awaiting
for that noble personality. Like fuel waiting for fire, for them too,
to turn into flames.
In what all things did Qura'n which set down in the desert like the
lightning spark through Prophet Muhammad (PBH) opened eyes of the
inhabitants there? Only a few instances from the hundreds of verses in
Qura'n will be enough to get the answer for this. The holy Qur'an
attracts the attention of the Arabs to the camels, sky, mountains and
the positions of the earth.
"Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the
heaven, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted and
fixed firm? And at the earth, how it is spread out?" (Holy Qura'n 88:
17-20). Arabs looked at the camel. They began to think how this
creature has been created to suit the climatic condition of the desert.
They thought about its ability to store water as fats.
They sat looking at the sky to find out direction to make commercial
journeys, stars show them the way. They had sung a song about the star
called Thurrayya. Still Qur'an asked them to look at the sky. Now they
are thinking about how the sky has been raised high. They were able to
understand the structure of the sky when they thought about it. Holy
Qur'an also inspired them to think about the stars that shine like
ornamental lamps in the sky. The summoning was to think about Allah the
most high. "Allah is He who raised the heavens without any pillars that
you can see" (13:2). "Then He Isthawa (turned) towards the heaven when
it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you
willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come, willingly." Then He
completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two
Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest
(lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to
guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils).
Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower" (41:11,12).
"And We have made the heaven a roof, safe and well guarded. Yet they
turn away from its signs (i.e. sun, moon, winds, clouds, etc.)"(21:32).
After how long period of time did man understand about the safe shelter
that Allah arranged to shield the earth from deadly rays and meteors.
What did the mischievous man know when he constructed the multi-storied
structures by destroying forest, hence made hole in the ozone layers.
"Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth," (10:101). The
holy Qur'an so demanded and questioned endlessly its followers "Are you
not thinking?" "Don't you use your brain?"
The Qura'n summoned us to think about infinite facts like the varieties
of flora, different languages, about the showers of rain, the
alternation of night and day, the voyage of ships; about wind and
pollination, about migrating birds who fly without being erroneous in
their direction, honey bees who collect honey, the finger prints of man
etc., The holy Qur'an explained with scientific precision all the stages
in the formation of human infant. The great things that the people of
Arabian Peninsula were ignorant off. The holy book was arousing their
intelligence along with their soul. The holy Qur'an was opening before
them infinite doorways of thought in addition to the powerful
revelations regarding the oneness of the lord of the universe and about
morality and immortality (life after death).
Earth: Some marks for those who think
" And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm
mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain
(two in pairs - may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g.
black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc.) He brings the
night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat
(proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect. And in
the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops
(fields etc.), and date-palms, growing out two or three from a single
stem root, or otherwise (one stem root for every palm), watered with the
same water, yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat.
Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons,
signs) for the people who understand" (13: 3, 4).
"Who has made earth for you like a bed (spread out); and has opened
roads (ways and paths) for you therein; and has sent down water (rain)
from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds of
vegetation. Eat and pasture your cattle, (therein); verily, in this are
proofs and signs for men of understanding" (20: 53, 54).
"And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof
fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it
ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you
may seek (thus) of His Bounty (by transporting the goods from place to
place) and that you may be grateful" (16: 14). How could not the people
who daily recite in the Qura'n about the plants, mountain, rivers, ocean
and the creatures living in it, learn the geography, marine science,
zoology and botany?
An orbit for each planet
The Holy Qura'n beckoned the Arab into the inner fields of astronomy.
"Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the
alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of
understanding" (3: 190).
"And We have made therein gardens of date-palms and grapes, and We have
caused springs of water to gush forth therein. So that they may eat of
the fruit thereof and their hands made it not. Will they not, then, give
thanks? Glory be to Him, Who has created all the pairs of that which
the earth produces, as well as of their own (human) kind (male and
female), and of that which they know not. And a sign for them is the
night, We withdraw there from the day, and behold, they are in darkness.
And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is
the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. And the moon, We have
measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old
dried curved date stalk. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor
does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit" (36:
34-40). "And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the
sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating" (21:33).
It is natural that the University of the Muslim Scientists was aroused
by the hints they got about the floating orbit from the holy Qur'an.
How were all these planets made? How did life evolve? There is no
evidence of the shepherds of holy Makkah and Yathrib (the holy Madina)
thinking about these subjects. The Qura'n told them an amazing secret
about the origin of the universe.
"Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were
joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have
made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"
(21:30).
Today we understand the great explosion that was ominous for the
formation of universe. We also realize that there was only one gas
before the creation of the universe. Qur'an says: "it was smoke' (41:
11).
Expanding Universe
Caravans of Merchants rested in the oasis. When holy Qur'an flowed into
their tents what they heard was about the expanding universe. They know
the movements of planets, solar system, milky ways, galaxies, the
increasing distance between the stars and the universe is expanding.
They heard all through the holy Qur'an. "With power did We construct the
heaven. Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof
"(51: 47).
The idea of the expanding universe enlarged the horizon of its
knowledge. The realm of their knowledge was expanding with the Qura'n.
Man, you were nothing! Is it the fate of man, only to be born, live die
and be finished? Did the residues of the unknown time tell the Arab
anything about this?
Philosophical doubts never came in the classical Arabic poetry before
Prophet. The Wilderness and the ordinariness of the desert were the
themes of the seven poems. They melted the hearts by the heat of love.
They were thrown into another world by the arrival of the Prophet.
Qura'n whispered in their ears that the man is created from mud and
returns to mud. "Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We
shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again"
(20:55).
Which is the way of man from mud to mud? The Arabs, Persians and
Syrians who accepted Islam, grasped the details of men's procreation
from the holy Qura'n "And of everything We have created pairs, that you
may remember" (the Grace of Allah) (51: 49).
All living things including men, plants and other things are created in
pairs. The followers of Qura'n had realized these facts even before
electrons and protons were unknown.
The holy Qura'n has explained all the stages of the livings. For
instance you can go through the Qur'anic verses below: "Has there not
been over man a period of time, when he was not thing worth mentioning.
Verily, We have created man from 'Nutfa' (drops) of mixed semen (sexual
discharge of man and woman), in order to try him: so We made him hearer
and seer" (76: 1, 2).
"Was he not a Nutfa (mixed male and female sexual discharge) of semen emitted (poured forth)?" (75: 37-39).
"And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and
earth). Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a 'Nutfah'
(mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a
safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the 'Nutfa' into a clot
(a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little
lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones,
then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as
another creation . So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creation" (23:
12-14).
The revelation in the Cave of Hira which made a good beginning with the
command 'Read' unveiled the way in which the most beautiful creature was
made out of nothingness. Literally it changed a group of people. They
later wrote down their names in big letters within many branches of
science. This is the story of the people who were nothing but achieved
everything. A mysterious historical experience.
All under your Reign
Hey men, who feared the sun, moon, stars and other natural phenomena
like wind, thunder, rain etc. as their god, they are not your boss; in
turn everything in the sky and earth dependent on you, the Qura'n so
taught them. Qur'an washed away the primitive darkness that got
cumulated in the human intellect who lived by worshipping the wind and
rain, and seeing the nature's wrathful expressions. It was from the
realization that Allah was taming the sun, the moon, the night, the day,
the sea and the rivers for man that the Islamic scientific civilization
took its birth. These are some of the lines that got into the Arab
consciousness like sparkles of lightning:
"And He has subjected to you the night and the day, and the sun and the
moon; and stars ared subjected by His Command. Surely, in this are
proofs for people who understand" (16: 12).
"Can't you see that Allah has subjugated everything in the earth for
you? (He has subjugated) the ship that sail in the sea only according
to his command. He has held the heavenly world from falling on the
earth without his permission. Of course Allah is very generous and kind
towards man" (Qur'an)
"Allah is He Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down
water (rain) from the sky, and thereby brought forth fruits as provision
for you; and He has made the ships to be of service to you, that they
may sail through the sea by His Command; and He has made rivers (also)
to be of service to you. And He has made the sun and the moon, both
constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you; and He has
made the night and the day, to be of service to you" (14: 32, 33).
"And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in
the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it
are signs for a people who think deeply" (45:13).
"And Who has created all the pairs and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride" (43: 12-14).
Muslims murmuring the same prayer sitting in motorcycles, cars and in
aero planes and praise the lord of the universe who tamed the untamable.
When Qur'an was introduced as the wisdom of light, the curtain of fear
and doubt disappeared and the followers of Qura'n became the bearers of
knowledge. Science to be flexible to them like gooseberry on inner palm!
Those who knew only to tame the camel and horse became the mahouts of
mathematics and astronomy. Holy Qur'an, the source of wisdom, made them
capable of it. History itself is the witness to this. Qur'an was in fact
paving the way to the continent of knowledge from the continent of
ignorance.
