[Eighth Day of Ramadan] {Qur’an, Land & Sun}
By Husseini Yushau BabalWaiz
"No religious book has such an impact on the language in which it was written as the Qur'an has had on Arabic literature." --- Jurgi Zaydan, a Christian author[1861-1914]
Miracles in the Language of the Qur'an
The mere recitation of the Qur'an contains a miracle not witnessed in the language of any other book. To understand this point, a simple example in needed. Let us consider the example of reading an English book. Give a page from an English book to a few persons whose mother tongue in English, but who come from different countries, e.g. England, United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Ask these persons to read a page from the same book. One will notice that each person will read the page in a different accent. Now select a few Qaris(one who has learned the art of recitation of the Qur'an) whose mother tongue is not Arabic.
Let them also be from different countries e.g. Pakistan, Ghana, Canada, and Philippines. Ask them to recite a page from the Qur'an. Despite the fact that their mother tongue is not Arabic, and they come from different parts of the world, all of them will recite the Qur'an in an absolute identical accent. It is yet another miracle of the Qur'an that even people whose mother tongue is not Arabic, and people who not understand the language of the Qur'an, recite it in an absolute identical manner with the same accent.
One of the most evident, and outstanding miracles of the Qur'an is the fact that its language is still alive. The Our'an is the fact that is language is still alive. The Qur'an is still read and understood in the same language in which it was revealed more than 1,400 years ago. In contrast, every human language since that time has changed. It is unavoidable that over a period of time, numerous words, phrases, and idioms become obsolete; meanings of the words and their spellings change; and a few new words are added to the vocabulary of every language.
Most of all, the usage of words, phrases and the construction of sentences also change. It is a living miracle of the Qur'an that even after 1,400 years, not a single words, phrase, or idiom of this revealed Book has become obsolete or has lost its original meaning. Though the Arabic language has gone through the normal process of evolutionary changes, the language of the Qur'an is still the criterion of its beauty and eloquence. Given this fact, a couple of simple questions should be asked.
Could a man write a universal language that can be living and understood by mankind for a period of 1, 400 years? Another simple question would be: Could a person like Muhammad(PBUH), who did not know how to read and write, and did not even know how to sign his name, come up with such eternal diction? The answer to both the questions is very obvious. No man has ever written, nor could write, such an eternal language. Only Allah, the Almighty, and All-Wise has the power to write such an eternal and perfect language.
One can conclude from this discussion that, it was humanly possible for Muhammad (PBUH) to compose a book like the Qur'an. The language of the Qur'an contains such miracles that cannot be explained by simple reason and logic. All these miracles testify to the fact that Qur'an is a divinely revealed book from Allah, the All- knowing, the All-Wise. Allah, the Exalted put such evident miracles in His Book so that mankind may justifiably accept it as the Divine Guidance, and mold their mold their lives according to its commandments.
Decrease of land
"See they not that We(Allah) gradually reduce the land from its outlying border?(When) Allah commands something, there is none to put back His command; and He is swift in calling to account."--- Q-13:41
Analysis: As stated earlier, the previous generation of Muslims took this verse as one of the mysteries in the Qur'an. Since they did not have the proper knowledge, they did not attempt to give a specific meaning to this verse. It is now known that the polar ice caps are melting and the level of sea water in the oceans is increasing. This in turn is covering more land. The outlying borders in this verse are the sea shores.
As more shores are being covered by the melting of polar ice, the total size of the earth or land mass is decreasing. Neither Muhammad(PBUH) nor those around him could have even conceived of this phenomenon in a desert land like the Arabian Peninsula fourteen centuries ago.
Sun As The Only Source Of Light
"We Have Built Above You Seven Strong (Heavens) And Placed Therein A Blazing Lamp."
--- Q-78:12
"Do you not see how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another; And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun a lamp." --- Q-71:15-16
Analysis: The Qur'an in these verse clearly states that sun is the only source of light for our solar system. Astronomers have now established that the moon is not a source of light but only a reflector of light from the sun. The Qur'an stated this fact centuries before the astronomers could establish this by their finding.
Hussseini Yushau BabalWaiz, is the Research & Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Media & Peace Initiatives Inc. New York, Author of three books; “Paradise Under Mothers’ Feet”, "Not good without God" & “Islam Promotes Tolerance & Prohibits Terrorism”. He tutors in Arabic & Islamic Studies in New York, babalwaiz71@gmail.com
Further reading: 160 Mysteries & Miracles of the Qur'an, by Dr. Mazhar Kazi.
Al-Qur'an the Miracle of miracles, by Ahmed Deedat.
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