Dr Gary Miller,Math and Quran

He was a very active missionary and was very knowledgeable about the Bible. This man likes mathematics so much, that's why he likes logic. One day, he decided to read the Qur'an to try to find any mistakes that he might take advantage of while inviting Muslims to convert to Christianity. He expected the Qur'an to be an old book written 14 centuries ago, a book that talks about the desert and so on. He was amazed from what he found.


He discovered that this Book had what no other book in the world has. He expected to find some stories about the hard time that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had, like the death of his wife Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) or the death of his sons and daughters. However, he did not find anything like that. And what made him even more confused is that he found a full "Sura" (chapter) in the Qur'an named "Mary" that contains a lot of respect to Mary (peace be upon her) which is not the case even in the books written by Christians nor in their Bibles. He did not find a Sura named after "Fatimah"(the prophet's daughter) nor "Aishah" (the Prophet's wife), may Allah (God) be pleased with both of them. He also found that the name of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) was mentioned in the Qur'an 25 times while the name of "Muhammad" (Peace Be Upon Him) was mentioned only 4 times, so he became more confused. He started reading the Qur'an more thoroughly hoping to find a mistake but he was shocked when he read a great verse which is verse number 82 in Surat Al-Nisa'a (Women) that says:
“Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy”.

Dr Miller says about this verse: “One of the well known scientific principles is the principle of finding mistakes or looking for mistakes in a theory until it’s proved to be right (Falsification Test). What’s amazing is that the Holy Qur'an asks Muslims and non-muslims to try to find mistakes in this book and it tells them that they will never find any”. He also says about this verse: "No writer in the world has the courage to write a book and say that it’s empty of mistakes, but the Qur'an, on the contrary, tells you that it has no mistakes and asks you to try to find one and you won’t find any."
Another verse that Dr Miller reflected on for a long time is the verse number 30 in Surat “Al-Anbiya” (The Prophets):

“ Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"

He says: ”This verse is exactly the subject of the scientific research that won the Noble Prize in 1973 and was about the theory of the “Great Explosion”. According to this theory, the universe was the result of a great explosion that lead to the formation of the universe with its skies and planets.

Dr Miller says: “Now we come to what’s amazing about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and what’s pretended about the devils helping him, God says:

“No evil ones have brought down this (Revelation), it would neither suit them nor would they be able (to produce it). Indeed they have been removed far from even (a chance of) hearing it.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 26, Verses 210-212.

“When thou does read the Qur'an, seek Allah's protection from Satan the Rejected One” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 16, Verse 98.

You see? Can this be the devil’s way to write a book? how can he write a book then tells you to ask God for protection from this devil before reading that book? Those are miraculous verses in this miraculous book! and has a logical answer to those who pretend that it’s from the devil”.

And among the stories that amazed Dr Miller is the story of the Prophet(PBUH) with Abu-Lahab. Dr Miller says: “This man (Abu Lahab) used to hate Islam so much that he would go after the Prophet wherever he goes to humiliate him. If he saw the prophet talking to strangers, he used to wait till he finishes and then ask them: What did Muhammad tell you? If he said it’s white then it’s in reality black and if he said it’s night then it’s day. He meant to falsify all what the prophet says and to make people suspicious about it. And 10 years before the death of Abu Lahab, a Sura was inspired to the prophet, named “Al-Masad”. This sura tells that Abu Lahab will go to hell, in other words, it says that Abu Lahab will not convert to Islam. During 10 years, Abu Lahab could have said: “Muhammad is saying that I will not become a Muslim and that I will go to the hell fire, but I’m telling you now that I want to convert to Islam and become a Muslim. What do you think about Muhammad now? Is he saying the truth or no? Does his inspiration come from God?”. But Abu Lahab did not do that at all although he was disobeying the prophet in all matters, but not in this one. In other words, it was as if the prophet(PBUH) was giving Abu Lahab a chance to prove him wrong! But he did not do that during 10 whole years! he did not convert to Islam and did not even pretend to be a Muslim!! Throughout 10 years, he had the chance to destroy Islam in one minute! But this did not happen because those are not the words of Muhammad (PBUH) but the words of God Who knows what’s hidden and knows that Abu Lahab will not become a Muslim.

How can the prophet (PBUH) know that Abu Lahab will prove what is said in that Sura if this was not inspiration from Allah? How can he be sure throughout 10 whole years that what he has (the Qur'an) is true if he did not know that it’s inspiration from Allah?? For a person to take such a risky challenge, this has only one meaning: that this is inspiration from God.

“Perish the hands of the Father of Flame (Abu Lahab)! perish he! No profit to him from all his wealth, and all his gains! Burnt soon will he be in a Fire of blazing Flame! His wife shall carry the (crackling) wood; As fuel! A twisted rope of palm-leaf fibre round her (own) neck!” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 111.

Dr Miller says about a verse that amazed him: One of the miracles in the Qur'an is challenging the future with things that humans cannot predict and to which the “Falsification Test” applies, this test consists of looking for mistakes until the thing that is being tested is proved to be right. For example, let’s see what the Qur'an said about the relation between Muslims and Jews. Qur'an says that Jews are the major enemies for Muslims and this is true until now as the main enemy for Muslims are the Jews.

Dr Miller continues: This is considered a great challenge since the Jews have the chance to ruin Islam simply by treating Muslims in a friendly way for few years and then say: here we are treating you as friends and the Qur'an says that we are your enemies, the Qur'an must be wrong then! But this did not happen during 1400 years!! and it will never happen because those are the words of The One who knows the unseen (God) and not the words of humans.

Dr Miller continues: Can you see how the verse that talks about the enmity between Muslims and Jews constitutes a challenge to the human mind?

“Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: they pray: "Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 5, Verses 82-83.

This verse applies to Dr Miller as he was a Christian but when he knew the truth, he believed and converted to Islam and became a herald. May Allah support him.

Dr Miller says about the unique style of the Qur'an that he finds wonderful: No doubt there is something unique and amazing in Qur'an that is not present anywhere else, as the Qur'an gives you a specific information and tells you that you did not know this before. For example:

"This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Prophet!) by inspiration: thou was not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam: nor was thou with them when they disputed (the point)” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 3, Verse 44.

“Such are some of the stories of the Unseen, which We have revealed unto thee: before this, neither thou nor thy People knew them. So persevere patiently: for the End is for those who are righteous” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 11, Verse 49.

“Such is one of the stories of what happened unseen, which We reveal by inspiration unto thee: nor was thou (present) with them when they concerted their plans together in the process of weaving their plots” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 12, Verse 102.

Dr Miller continues: “No other holy book uses this style, all the other books consist of information that tells you where this information came from. For example, when the Holy Bible talks about the stories of the ancient nations, it tells you that a this King lived in a this place and a that leader fought in that battle, and that a certain person had a number of kids and their names are. But this book (Bible) always tells you that if you want to know more, you can read a certain book since that information came from that book”.

Dr Garry Miller continues: “This is in contrary to the Qur'an which gives you the information and tells you that it’s new!! And what’s amazing is that the people of Mecca at that time (time of inspiration of those verses) used to hear those verses and the challenge that the information in those verses was new and was not known by Muhammad (PBUH) nor by his people at that time, and despite that, they never said: We know this and it is not new, and they did not say: We know where Muhammad came from with those verses. This never happened, but what happened is that nobody dared to say that he was lying to them because those was really new information, not coming from the human mind but from Allah who knows the unseen in the past, the present and the future”.

Jantung dan Memori

Apakah perkaitannya?

 Marilah kita bersama-sama merenungi kisah menarik yang akan disebut di sini, yang dipetik menerusi Daily Mail bertarikh 10 April 2008 yang lepas. Kisah ini ialah kisah pemindahan jantung yang dijalankan 12 tahun yang lalu di sebuah hospital di Amerika Syarikat. Pesakit jantung tersebut bernama Sonny Graham. Beliau seorang yang baik hati serta hidup dalam kehidupan penuh disiplin. Beliau mudah membantu jiran dan masyarakat apabila pertolongannya diperlukan.

Mr. Graham, pesakit tersebut menerima jantung seorang pemuda yang meninggal kerana membunuh diri. Pemindahan jantung tersebut berjaya dan kesihatan beliau semakin hari semakin baik sehingga beliau pulih seperti biasa. Apabila sembuh, beliau mencari keluarga penderma untuk memberi penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih. Beliau bertemu dengan balu pemuda yang mati membunuh diri itu. Pertemuan itu membawa maksud yang tersendiri kerana Mr. Graham secara tiba-tiba telah jatuh cinta kepada balu tersebut. Beliau merasakan seolah-olah telah lama mengenalinya serta sangat berharap untuk tinggal bersama. Akhirnya kedua-duanya bersetuju untuk berkahwin. Mereka hidup mewah di sebuah banglo mewah.

Suatu perkara yang ganjil telah berlaku pada diri Mr. Graham. Daripada sifat lemah lembut sebelum pemindahan jantungnya, beliau mula bersikap kasar kepada masyarakat termasuk isterinya sendiri. Menurut isteri yang baru dikahwininya, perangai Mr. Graham sama seperti perangai bekas suaminya yang meninggal dunia itu. Kegemaran buruk bekas suaminya dulu diikuti oleh suami barunya itu. Beliau benar-benar berubah sifat daripada sifat penyantun kepada sifat pembengis dan tidak bertimbang rasa. Akhirnya, beliau mengambil pistol dan membunuh diri sendiri sama seperti yang dilakukan oleh pemuda penderma jantungnya itu. Lalu matilah Mr. Graham dalam keadaan yang sama dengan penderma jantungnya itu.

Para saintis psikoanalisis berasa takjub apabila mengkaji kes ini. Kes ini bukan kes terpencil kerana beberapa kes lain yang direkod mempunyai persamaan dengan kes ini. Satu persoalan yang timbul ialah: Adakah peristiwa ini berlaku secara kebetulan dengan peristiwa penderma jantungnya dahulu, atau, kedua-dua peristiwa tersebut ada kaitannya? Adakah jantung mempunyai sel memori yang masih merakamkan pita penderma asalnya lalu dipindahkan kepada penerima jantung baru.

Mengikut fahaman positifisme Barat, jantung hanyalah satu organ biasa yang tidak berfungsi untuk berfikir atau mempunyai sebarang peranan dengan ingatan. Adakah pandangan itu benar?

Sekarang marilah pula kita merenungi sepotong ayat al-Qur’an yang bermaksud:

“Apakah mereka tidak berjalan pada permukaan bumi lalu menjadikan jantung hati mereka berfikir dengannya, atau telinga mereka mendengar dengannya, Maka sesungguhnya bukanlah penglihatan mereka yang buta akan tetapi yang buta ialah jantung hati mereka yang berada di dada” (al-Hajj, 46).

Dalam ayat di atas disebut “Qulub la ya`qilun biha” yakni jantung hati yang tidak berfikir dengannya (yakni jantung). Indikasi bahawa jantung (atau kalbu) yang berfikir tidak pernah disebut dalam mana-mana pemikiran manusia, akan tetapi al-Qur’an menyatakan bahawa jantung hati yang berfikir. Para saintis sebelum ini berbendapat aktiviti berfikir hanya dilakukan oleh otak, bukan organ lain, khususnya jantung. Namun al-Qur’an menegaskan bahawa berfikir yang mendalam secara renungan dilakukan oleh hati.
Rujuk Artikel Dr. Maza :
1) http://drmaza.com/home/?p=1084 dan
2) http://drmaza.com/home/?p=1136


Para pasikoanalisis berasa sungguh kagum dengan penemuan organ jantung yang menyimpan sel memori yang bersambung dengan sel memori otak, akan tetapi aktiviti berfikir hakikatnya berpusat di jantung. Dalam masyarakat Melayu, qalbu dalam bahasa Arab diterjemahkan sebagai hati tetapi penterjemahan yang sebenarnya ialah jantung.

Para saintis menemui sejenis sel dalam jantung manusia yang dikenali sebagai ganglia cells yang mempunyai memori lebih kuat daripada sel otak. Sel ini berfungsi seperti kapasiti memori sekuat komputer yang menyimpan maklumat yang lebih kekal berbanding otak. Rangkaian sel ganglia ini bersambung antara satu dengan yang lainnya membentuk apa yang disifatkan oleh para pengkajinya sebagai brain cell in the heart.

Rangkaian sel ini mengeluarkan gelombang elektrik yang disebarkan menerusi edaran darah. Penemuan ini merungkaikan pula bahawa darah manusia turut membawa memori dalam kapasiti tertentu yang dicetuskan oleh sel ganglia tersebut. Kajian juga turut memperlihatkan bahawa sel memori otak dan jantung saling bertukar maklumat menerusi mekanisme yang sangat kompleks tindakbalas kimia, asid amino dan gelombang elektrik.

Pendengar yang budiman boleh merujuk tulisan seorang pengkaji Amerika yang bernama Rolin MacCarty daripada Institut HeartMath untuk maklumat yang lebih lanjut tentang perkara ini.

Seorang professor University of Hawaii yang bernama Paul Peasall turut mengkaji aspek psikoanalisis berkaitan dengan pemindahan jantung untuk menguatkan lagi pemenuan sel memori dalam jantung manusia. Pendengar yang budiman boleh mendapat maklumat lanjut menerusi bukunya yang bertajuk The Heart’s Code terbitan Broadway.

Dalam kes lain yang dilaporkan professor tersebut, seorang pemuda penggubah lagu menerusi muzik telah terbunuh dalam satu kemalangan jalan raya lalu jantungnya didermakan kepada seorang pemudi yang sebaya. Secara tiba-tiba pemudi tersebut menjadi pandai dalam muzik dan gubahan lagu. Lebih menyayatkan hati, lagu yang terbengkalai oleh pemuda penderma jantung tersebut disiapkan secara berasingan oleh pemudi penerima jantung tersebut. Apabila ibu pemuda mendengar lagu yang dimainkan pemudi tersebut, tiba-tiba menangis sedih kesayuan apabila mendapati lagu itu pernah dimainkan oleh anaknya yang meninggal dunia itu.

Etika turut dikaji secara bersepadu dalam sains Islam. Sains bukan ilmu yang terpisah daripada paksi tauhid umat Islam tetapi merupakan satu cabang yang memperkuatkan paksi itu. Dalam etika perubatan Islam, persoalan seperti pemindahan anggota, kematian otak, pengguguran bayi, teknologi rawatan rapi dan seumpamanya bukan sahaja berkaitan dengan etika tetapi juga syariah dan hukum.

Dalam persidangan ulama di Jordan tahun 1986, kematian otak atau brain death diterima sebagai alamat kematian walaupun sebahagian ulama tidak sependapat. Dengan demikian, di Arab Saudi misalnya, pemindahan buah pinggang boleh dilakukan apabila kematian otak penderma telah disahkan doktor yang amanah.

Pengguguran kandungan selepas bayi bernyawa dilarang sama sekali dalam syariah. Hanya pengecualian dalam keadaan yang ketat sahaja diberikan apabila nyawa si ibu dalam keadaan terancam, iaitu apabila pilihan nyawa ibu atau nyawa bayi perlu dilakukan seperti dalam kes ibu yang mengalami rawatan kemoterapi. Rawatan ini berkemungkinan menyebabkan keguguran. Sesungguhnya, seseorang doktor Muslim memberikan khidmatnya kepada masyarakat dengan penuh amanah dan tanggungjawab sosial yang berupa ibadat umum, dalam kerjaya hariannya. Alangkah indahnya apabila umat Islam yang memerlukan perkhidmatan kesihatan dilihat oleh doktor Muslim yang bertakwa sebagai sumber kebajikan dan akan dibalas di Akhirat nanti.

Dipetik dengan sedikit ubahsuai dari : http://www.kesturi.net/archives/433

Sesungguhnya orang yang beriman itu ialah orang yang apabila disebutkan Allah akan gementar hati mereka, dan apabila dibacakan ayat-ayat-Nya (ayat-ayat Allah) akan bertambahlah iman mereka, dan kepada Rab (Tuhan) mereka bertawakal. ( Surah an-Anfal : Ayat 2 )

Miracles of Quran 7

Carrion , Blood  &  Pork

Allah says in His Honourable Book; “ He has forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine.” (2: 173)

   إنما حرم عليكم الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير (البقرة 173)

  

He the Almighty also said:   “Forbidden to you are carrion, blood and flesh of swine, and that which has been hallowed to other than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; and that which has been partly eaten by a wild animal-excepting that you have sacrificed duly…” (4:3)

حرمت عليكم الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير وما أهل لغير الله به والمنخنقة والموقوذة والمتردية والنطيحة وما أكل السبع إلا ما ذكيتم (المائدة 3)

Prohibition of eating carrion:

What is the reasoning of totally forbidding dead meat?

It has been proved on a conclusive scientific basis that the body of a dead animal reserves  blood with all sediments and toxins, particularly which are in the arterial blood.  Blood could then prevail in the tissues and thus the toxins start to function in all body cells, thus the dead body changes colour to darker and the superficial veins are filled with blood, and blood circulation stops with no chance of leaking any amount of blood outside the body.  The dead body becomes a spoilt deposit for diseases and microbes.  The work of decay then starts in the body, affecting the meat in colour, taste and smell.  So meat of dead bodies is foul and un-good.   Allah says; “They will question thee what is permitted them.  Say; ‘The good things are permitted you….’” (4:4)

( يسألونك ماذا أحل لهم ، قل أحل لكم الطيبات ((المائدة 4 )

 
Due to the decay enzymes, the dead meat loses all nutrient elements, and becomes valueless.  Allah says; “This Quran is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; but it is a confirmation of what is before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book wherein there is no doubt- from the Lord of all beings.”  (Younos :37)

(ومـا كـان هـذا القـرآن أن يفترى من دون الله ولكن تصـديق الذي بين يديه وتفصـيل الكتـاب لا ريب فيه من رب العالمين  ) يـونس (37)

Dead cow .. 

Kinds of carrion

• Strangled: It has been scientifically proved that the animal if strangled, i.e., oxygen is not allowed to pass into its lungs, toxic carbon dioxide, as well as poisonous secretions accumulate in its body.
• Killed by a violent blow, i.e., a cattle beaten to death by a stick or a stone.
• Killed by a headlong fall, i.e., falling from a height.
• Killed by being gored to death, i.e., by another cattle.
• The remnants of a cattle partly eaten by a wild animal.  This is prohibited for a great divine reason.  Modern medical science has recently discovered that germs and microbes are transferred to the prey when grabbed by the wild animal’s claws, thus causing diseases to transfer to whoever eats the prey’s meat.  Wild animals in general are infected with a disease that lies in their mouths and saliva, which in turn are transferred to the body of the prey, causing great harm to eaters of such meat.

Prohibition of blood:

Blood in the living creature has two main functions :
(1) it transfers nutrients absorbed by the intestines such as proteins, sugars, and fats, as well as vitamins, hormones and oxygen and all other vital necessary substances to body organs and muscles. 
(2) it carries harmful  body substances in the animal body for disposal through urine, sweat or stool.  If the animal is diseased, microbes are multiplied in its blood, using it as the media for moving from one part to another, and this is where hazards lie.  If man drinks blood, all these microbes and excretions will be carried to man, thus leading to so many diseases such hyper-uremia leading to renal failure, or hyper-ammoniaemia leading to hepatic coma. 
Many germs carried by blood causes irritation to the membranes of stomach and intestines, leading to lots of diseases. 
For all these reasons, Islam’s legal method of slaughter dictates that the animal be cleared of blood after slaughtering, so that cattle’s blood is not allowed by any means to enter the human body.  This has been revealed long before microscopes are invented by man, or information of such microbes and germs has reached man’s knowledge.

Prohibition of the flesh of swine (pork) :

The Moslem is submissive to Allah’s commands even if the underlying wisdom is not yet revealed.
“All that the believers say, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, that he my judge between them, is that they say; ‘We hear and we obey’; those – they are the prosperers.” (24: 51)

(إنما كان قول المؤمنين إذا دعواإلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم أن يقولوا سمعنا وأطعنا، وأولئك هم المفلحون (النور 51

Eating pork is prohibited in Islam
 

Some recent western studies revealed that eaters of the flesh of swine (pork) carry the same characteristics of swine.

The Quran adopts the preventive method, whether for medical or social diseases, and their causes.   This is much more better than the claims of the West and their inventions in the field of treatment which require lots of money, with no guarantee as to the positive results.  No matter how the west is trying to beautify the image of the swine, by providing the most up to date equipment of caring and cleanliness, this will not counteract the fixed reality discovered by their own scientists of the worms and diseases contained in the body of the swine as compared to other animals.

Eating pork is harmful to health in a great many regards. This harm still persists today, despite all the precautions that are taken. First and foremost, no matter how clean the farms and environments on which it is raised may be, the pig is not by nature a clean-living animal. It often plays in, and even eats, its own excrement. Due to this and its biological structure, the pig produces much higher levels of antibodies in its body than other animals. In addition, far higher levels of growth hormone are produced in the pig compared to those in other animals and human beings. Naturally, these high levels of antibodies and growth hormone pass across to and collect in the pig's muscle tissue. Pork meat also contains high levels of cholesterol and lipids (the rate of cholesterol is almost 15 times more than its rate in cows) . It has been scientifically proven that these significant amounts of antibodies, hormones, cholesterol and lipids in pork represent a serious threat to human health.

The existence of above-average numbers of obese individuals in the populations of countries such as the USA and Germany, in which large quantities of pork are consumed, is now well-known. When exposed to excessive quantities of growth hormone as a result of a pork-based diet, the human body first puts on excessive weight and then suffers physical deformations. 

 

Another harmful substance in pork is the "trichina" worm. This is frequently found in pork and when it enters the human body, it settles directly in the muscles of the heart and represents a possibly fatal threat. Even though it is now technically possible to identify pigs that are infected with trichina, no such methods were known in earlier centuries. That means that everyone who ate pork risked infection by trichina and possible death. 

Another disease is the   "Tapeworm"  which is transmitted from the pig to man’s intestines.  It is a few meters long, and has about 22-32 hooks in the head, with which it clings to the intestine wall.  The larva leaks into the stream of blood and settles in one of the body organs such as the heart, the liver or the eye, where it vesiculates.  Settling in the brain, being its favourite place, the worm can cause epilepsy.  This is the difference between the hazards of the tapeworm that is transmitted from the swine to man, and that which is transmitted from another beast such as the cow for example.   The worm of the latter have no such grievous power to roam and travel with its larva in the human body to destroy it in a vicious violence. 

All these reasons are just a part of the wisdom in our Lord's prohibition on the consumption of pork. Moreover, this commandment of our Lord's provides complete protection from the harmful effects of pork under any conditions. 

 

Until the 20^th century, it was impossible to be aware of the danger posed to human health by pork. The fact that the Quran, revealed fourteen centuries ago, warns against this harm which has been incontrovertibly revealed with modern medical equipment and biological tests, is one of the miracles demonstrating that the Quran is the revelation of Allah, the Omniscient. Despite all the precautionary measures and inspections that take place in modern-day pig rearing, the fact that pork is physiologically incompatible with the human body and is a variety of meat harmful to human health has not altered.

“Surely this Quran guides to the way that is straightest…” (17 :9)

(إن هذا القرآن يهدي للتي هي أقوم) الإسراء 9

Miracles of Quran 6

Forelock

Allah the Almighty speaks of Abu Jahl (an inveterate enemy of Islam, who used to insult prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his followers) :
“No Indeed; surely, if he gives not over, We shall seize him by the forelock, a lying, sinful forelock!” (96 : 15-16)

( كلا لئن لم ينته لنسفعًا بالناصية * ناصية كاذبة خاطئة) ( العلق :16 - 15)

Linguistic explanation:

Forelock means lock of hair at forehead.  in explanation of Allah’s verse: ‘We shall seize him by the forelock’, Al Faraa said; ‘it is the forehead that He (Allah) shall seize Abu Jahl  to drag him i.e., a sign of humiliation and disgrace.’

Commentators’ explanation:

Al Alousi said; “The forelock as described in the verse, indicates in the first place that this person is lying and sinful, and due to Abu Jahl’s obstinate lying and sins, every part of him is lying and sinning .”  Al Alousi also said; “The forelock is specifically mentioned here because the cursed Abu Jahl used to take good care of it by combing and perfuming, and because seizing the forelock is the utmost humiliation for any Arab…”

• Some Quran commentators say: “The aim is not a lying forelock.  But it is used metaphorically, not in the strict sense of the term, i.e., it is the forelock of a liar and sinful.  Since the forelock is the forehead, the description of lying refers to the possessor, as it could not be a place or source of lying.
• In his “Musnad”, Ahmed referred to the Prophet's Hadith which points out to the forelock.  It was narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said;
  “O, my Lord I am Your slave and the son of Your slave and the son of Your bondmaid, my forelock is at Your Hands, … "  . This Hadith reveals that man’s fate is at Allah’s Hands, as well as man’s forelock, thus indicating, as the Verse above, that the forelock plays an important role in guiding and controlling man’s behaviour.
• So, what is the reason underlying the use of forelock? What is the hidden organ behind the forehead – that part which is responsible for the person’s character and which controls man’s behaviour and actions of truthfulness and lying, right and wrong, and which if subjugated, man’s behaviour can be controlled, as indicated in the book of  “Gray's anatomy  ” edited by Warwick & Williams.

 
Scientific facts:

 Man’s brain contains the following main lobes:  

1-     Frontal lobe.

2-     Occipital lobe.

3-     Temporal lobe.

4-     Parietal lobe.
 

The brain with its different lobes

·        For each lobe, there is a functional role, which is at he same time complementary to the other body functions.   Having dissected the forehead, the frontal lobe was found to be the part lying behind.  The frontal lobe is characterized, apart from the animal counterpart, with the regions responsible for behaviour and speech being developed and distinct as per the anatomic and functional levels.

·        The Frontal lobe is a big lobe situated in front of the central groove, and contains five neurological centres that vary in location and position. These centres are:  

1-     Primary Motor Area that helps move the voluntary muscles of the left side of the body.

2-     Secondary Motor Area that helps move the voluntary muscles of the right side of the body.

3-     Frontal Eye Field that helps move eyes to the opposite sides compatibly.

4-     Motor Speech Area of Broca that coordinates movements among organs of speech, such as larynx, tongue and face.

5-     Pre-Frontal Cortex, which lies directly behind the forehead, represents the bigger part of the frontal lobe, and its function is responsible for forming the person’s character and also has an effect in determining the ability of taking initiative and judgment.  

·        Since the Prefrontal cortex lies directly behind the forehead and deep under the forelock, it directs some of man’s behaviour such as characteristics of truthfulness and lying, right and wrong, and distinguishes among each of these characteristics.

·        Electronic Studies of brain and electric studies of organ functions revealed that patients and animals subjected to damage of frontal lobes, often suffer a diminution of mental abilities. Any deficiency affecting the frontal lobe can change the natural behaviour of man that may reach to the extent of doing evil actions, and deterioration of the moral principles, the memory, and the ability to solve mental issues.

·        Frontal lobes of brain are considered the centre of the initiative of lying. All mental activities of lying are conducted therein and then transferred to messengers organs through the action of lying. The evil actions are also planned for in this lobe before being transferred to action organs.  The lobe is also responsible for wrong actions being a centre of direction and control, as indicated in Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The miracle side:  

The miracle side in the above Quranic verse and the Honourable Hadith of the Prophet is that they refer very accurately to the frontal lobe, lying deep at man’s forelock, as being the centre of decision to control man’s actions of truthfulness, lying, right, wrong, balance or perversion.   This has been revealed by modern scientific studies in the second half of the 20^th century.

Another fact:
The brain is surrounded with three membranes, among which is the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), which has the function of protection, feeding and cooling.

The brain swims in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and it is surrounded with 3 membranes

It has been found that the brain inside the skull weighs 50 gm, although the real weight is 1700 gm.  The physical principle states that the volume of the object immersed in fluid is equal to the volume of displaced fluid.  Therefore, it is of the Almighty Creator’s decree that we do not feel the brain weight, as it floats in the CSF, which originates from a special area in the brain called “the corogy plexus”, and rotates inside and comes out of another area such as the domestic water net.  This cycle occurs five times a day.  As Moslems do before prayer times, the brain get ablution 5 times a day ... !

We prostrate on the frontal lobe which has the centre of decision making.  When prostrating and worshipping Allah, the Moslem’s forelock is certified as truthful and right .

Miracles of Quran 5

Prayer : a healing for the spirit and the body

  Allah says; “Seek help with patience and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who are humble.” (2: 45)

( واستعينوا بالصبر والصلاة وإنها لكبيرة إلا على الخاشعين ) البقرة 45

      Health benefits in prayers:

  o         Prayers help release the burden of the soul and expand the chest.  In prayers, which are the best deeds, the heart gets connected to Allah the Almighty.  The Prophet (PBUH) said, as narrated by Ibn Majah and Al Hakim on the authority of Thawban; “Be it known to you that your best deeds are prayers.”

  o     Prayers are surely a healing for the soul.  It is confirmed that the Prophet, if afflicted with grief, would hurry to prayer: “ prayer forbids indecency and dishonour.  Allah’s remembrance is greater; and Allah knows the things you work.” (29: 45)

            ( إن الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر، ولذكر الله أكبر، والله يعلم ما تصنعون) (العنكبوت 45)

  o        Prayers help adjust the ‘rhythm’ of the body.  Modern scientific research proved that Moslems’ prayer timings correspond with that of the  physiological activities of the body.  Thus, prayers are considered as the orchestrator that adjusts the ‘rhythm’ of the whole body. In his book ‘Seeking cure from prayers’, Dr. Zaheer Rabeh indicates that cortisone is the hormone of activity that starts to increase acutely in the human body with the approach of dawn time, and is associated with the rise in blood pressure.  Man feels greatly active after dawn prayer between 6-9 a.m.  Thus the time after prayer is considered the best time for hard work and seeking livelihood.  The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was quoted saying; “O Lord, give benediction to my umma (nation) at the early morning time.”  Ozone, which has an invigorating effect on the nervous system, and muscular and mental activity, reaches the highest levels in air at such a time. 

Contrary to this is the forenoon time (Dhuha), in which secretion of cortisone reach the minimum limits; leading man to feel exhausted with the stress of work, and the need to have rest.  This is almost after 7 hours of early get-up.  Here comes the time of noon (Zuhr) prayer, which gives complacency and quietness to the exhausted heart and body, and following which man seeks to get an hour of sleep that gives him rest and reinvigorates his activity, in what is termed as Qailulah (nap) before (Asr) (afternoon) prayer.  Such a short sleep was mentioned in the Prophet’s saying; “Get help with Suhoor (meal before dawn time) for fasting, and with Qailulah for Qiyam (night)  prayer.” He also said; “Have Qailulah, as satans do not have it.”  It has been proved that the human body at this period generally encounters a hard time, where an increase occurs in an anesthetic chemical substance secreted by the body that has the effect of tranquilizing, and incites man to sleep.  The body, after 7 hours of early wake-up, is at the lowest levels of concentration and activity.  So if man ignores sleeping at that time, much of his neuromuscular compatibility decreases all day long.  

Then comes the Asr (afternoon) Prayer to reinvigorate the body once again.  Adrenalin then raises in the blood; causing activity in the body functions particularly the cardiac one.   Asr prayer has thus a great effect in preparing the heart and the body to accept this sudden state of activity, which can cause serious troubles to cardiac patients due to the sudden transfer of the heart from the inert state to the active state. Allah says; “Be you watchful over the prayers, and the middle prayer, and do you stand obedient to Allah.” (2: 238)

( حافظوا على الصلوات والصلاة الوسطى وقوموا لله قانتين ( البقرة 238

Most of the Quran Commentators agreed that the middle prayer is Asr prayer. With the discovery of the increase of Adrenalin hormone at this time, the reason behind this Quranic remarkable command of the keep-up of Asr prayer becomes crystal clear.  Performing Asr prayer at designated time, alongside with other extra prayers, reinvigorates the heart gradually to function more effectively after an inert state.   So the rest of bodily organs and senses are in deep concentration in prayer, making it easy for the heart and the hormone to adjust the normal rhythm of the body which reaches the climax at that time. 

Then comes the Maghreb (sunset) prayer.  In contrary  to what happens early in the morning, Cortisone decreases and the activity of the body starts to diminish.  With the transfer from daylight into night darkness, melatonin increases  encouraging relaxation and sleep, and causing laziness to the body.  Here prayer comes as a transitional station. 

Prayer of Isha (early night prayer) is the last station in the course of the day, wherein the body is transferred from the state of activity and mobility to a state of seeking sleep with the spread of darkness and the increase of melatonin secretion.  Therefore, it is commendable to delay Isha prayer to the time before sleep so that all man’s preoccupations are finalized, and sleep comes next.  The regular secretion of melatonin is closely related to the sexual and mental maturity, which is the consequence of following a fixed programme and a way of life.  Therefore, we find that adherence to perform prayers on time is the best way that guarantees an integral compatibility with daily activities, thus leading to highly efficient functions of human body systems.

o       Prayer is a prevention from varicose.  Legs varicose is a common dysfunction in the legs veins, which takes the shape of big and zigzag veins filled with blood of a changed colour all along the lower limbs.   Dr. “Tawfiq Elwan”, a Professor in Alexandria Faculty of Medicine (Egypt), indicated that with the meticulous observation of prayer movements, it was found out that prayer is distinguished with a wonderful measure of smoothness, harmony and coordination, represented in standing, kneeling (Ruku’), prostration (Sujood)  and sitting between every two prostrations.  With a scientific study of the measure of pressure exerted on the walls of the saphenous vein at the ankle joint, it was found out that the great decrease in that pressure during kneeling reaches almost the half.   As for the state of Sujood, the average pressure becomes very slight.  Naturally, this decrease is a full rest to that vein, which is greatly exhausted due to the severity of pressure all along the periods of standing.  The position of Sujood helps the blood circulation work in the same direction of earth gravity, as blood which always suffers the bitter creep from the feet soles to the cardiac muscle, now pours smoothly and easily from top to bottom.  This process reduces much of the vein pressure over the feet dorsum around 80 times (from the state of standing to the state of Sujood).  Consequently, the risks of having varicose, which rarely affects those performing prayers regularly and properly, are diminished.

Varicose veins in both legs
 

  o    Prayer for strengthening bones.  Bones pass with two consecutive stages : the stage of anabolism followed by the stage of catabolism and so on in a continuous manner. In the phase of youth and growth, man’s anabolism increases, so bones become longer and stronger.  After the phase of maturity and with the advance of age, catabolism takes the lead, with the amount of bone decreasing and becoming more fragile, and the spine bows due to the vertebra’s collapse, shortness and weakness.   The activity and the strength of bones are the outcome of :  
 i.     Powers of pressure and pulling exercised by the muscles and tendons, which sticks to bones, during flexion and extension.  
ii.      It has been recently proved that an electric current with two different poles runs inside the bones; affecting the distribution of cells functions such as anabolism and catabolism cells.  The current also determines at large the aspects of these cells activities.  The experiments proved that in case of laziness and rest, the electric current is diminished, leading the bones to lose the componential materials, thus they become thin and weak.  Experiment also revealed that during travel to space where gravity is totally absent, muscles become weak and bones become thin due to the inability to resist the burden of the earth gravity.  It is therefore deduced that complete rest causes the bones to shrink, as the absence of movements activates catabolism cells, and weakens anabolism cells, hence a reduction of the bony material occurs.

 

·       The performance of 17 units (Rak’ah) of obligatory prayers, and some more of extra prayers, strengthens man’s bones, and forces him to do a bodily movement not less than one hour daily.  This happens all along the life of the Moslem, who never abandons prayers.

·    Prayer is a regular simple exercise at different times, and helps keep the viability of the body specially the cardiac system and blood circulation.

·   Prayer is a psychological therapy that helps calm the soul and relieve all tension for many reasons, of which the most significant is: man feels that all his problems are very small in the face of the Greatness and Capability of the Creator Who handles this large universe.  The Moslem, after finishing his prayer, has thrown all he has of problems and worries, as he has deputized the Merciful Lord to manage and relieve him of such troubles.  Prayers help remove all sources of tension due to the constant change of movements.  It is known that such a change leads to an important physiological relaxation, therefore, the Prophet commanded that the Moslem when afflicted with a state pf anger, should resort to prayers.  It has been proved that prayer have an immediate effect on the nervous system, as they calm agitation and maintain balance.  They are as well a successful treatment for insomnia resulting from the nervous dysfunction.