Al Quran & Science
(5 Ramadhan 1432 Hijrah) 5/8/11
Honey Bees
The worker bees, those who gather pollen and make the honey, are actually all females. The male bees do not make honey. This was only known recently. However more than1400 years ago the Quran refers to bees that generate the honey as females (the Arabic grammar is in the female mode):
(5 Ramadhan 1432 Hijrah) 5/8/11
Honey Bees
The worker bees, those who gather pollen and make the honey, are actually all females. The male bees do not make honey. This was only known recently. However more than1400 years ago the Quran refers to bees that generate the honey as females (the Arabic grammar is in the female mode):
[Quran 16.68-69] And your Lord (Allah) revealed to the bees: Build your hives in mountains, trees and in what people build. Then eat (for females) from every fruit and follow (for females) your Lord's enslaved paths, from their bellies (for females) exits drink of different colors, in it healing for man. These are signs for those who contemplate. (Surah An Nahl 16:68-69)
For the word "eat": "Kuli" is for females; "Kul" is for males. The Quran used "Kuli" (females).
For the word "follow a path": "Usluki" is for females; "Usluk" is for males. The Quran used "Usluki" (females).
For the word "their bellies": "butuniha" is for females; "butunihim" is for males. The Quran used "butuniha" (females).
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago have known that those honey making bees are females?
Seas
The difference in temperature, salinity and CO2 concentrations in seas cause water to separate into layers. This was only known recently. However Moslems knew about it all along:
[Quran 55.19-20] He [Allah] has made the two seas meet, between them a barrier that they don't transgress. (Surah Ar Rahman 55:19-20)
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that sea water can separate?
Not only light cannot reach deep waters but also the water layers down there are not flat but wavy, that is, the seas have internal waves just as they have surface waves. However Moslems also knew about this long before it was discovered:
[Quran 24.40] Or like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hand, he will not see it! If Allah does not give light to a person he will not have light! (Surah An Nur 24:40)
The Quran talked about internal waves long before it was discovered. Also, sunlight cannot penetrate more than few hundred meters into the seas. It is so dark down there that you cannot see your own hand.
Moslems ask how could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that seas separate, have internal waves and there is no light down there?
The water cover about 71% of the Earth's surface. This is also the same ratio the word "water" and word "Land" appear in the Quran. "Water" 32 times and "Land" 13 times. The ratio of "Water" to the total (Water + Land) = 32/(32+13) = 71%.
Tectonics
Earth's crust has been slowly moving for billions of years. Not only mountains are still slowly moving but also whole continents. Moslems say that this is what Allah says:
[Quran 27.88] You see the mountains and think they are firmly fixed: but they are moving away just like the clouds are moving away: (such is) the artistry of Allah, Who disposes of all things in perfect order: For He knows all what you do. (Surah An Naml 27:88)
Cloud Seeding
During cloud formation, water can become supercooled, that is, it can get below freezing point but remain not frozen! This stage is so unstable that we can add some catalyst molecules to trigger rain. Historically humans used silver iodide, frozen carbon dioxide and some salts to trigger rain. This is known as cloud seeding.
However nature uses different material to seed the clouds. Nature uses both sea salt and land dust to trigger rain: Wind at the surface of the seas causes waves to roll. Those waves release aerosols into the air carrying the sea salt. The wind carry both the sea salt and the land dust to the clouds. The sea salt and land dust cause the supercooled water to coalesce and trigger precipitation.
[Quran 15:22] And We send the seeding winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water, though you are not the guardians of its stores. (Surah Al Hijr 15:22)
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that wind has a seeding role in clouds?
Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude; The higher the altitude the more difficult breathing becomes. Moslems say that this is what Allah says. The Quran says that as we ascend to the sky it becomes more difficult for us to breath:
[Quran 6.125] Those whom Allah wants to guide, He opens their chests to Islam; And those whom He wants to leave astray, He makes their chests tight and constricted, as if they are ascending to the sky: Such is the penalty of Allah on those who refuse to believe. (Surah Al An’Aam 6:125)
Brain Functions
For centuries it was thought that the frontal part of the human brain handled vision (simply because it is near the eyes). Today we know that this part handles speech, not vision. (the part that handles vision turned out to be at the rear of the brain
The Quran says that disbelievers will be dragged from there liar forehead, that is, the speech part where they utter lies is at the forehead.
[Quran 96.16] A lying sinful forehead. (Surah Al-'Alaq 96:16)
Genetics
Females have XX chromosomes, that is, they can only give one X chromosome. But since males have XY chromosomes then men can either give the X or the Y chromosome. This means that it is actually the males who determine the sex of the baby (by giving either the X or the Y chromosome).
[Quran 53:45-46] And He (Allah) creates pairs, male and female, from semen emitted. (Surah An Najm 53:45-46)
The Quran says that it is the semen that determines whether the baby is male or female. But since semen only comes from males then this means that it is the males who determine the sex of the baby.
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that it is the males who determine the sex of the baby?
These are just some of the facts which shows that:
The Qur'an, this extraordinary book which was revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH), is a source of inspiration and true knowledge. The book of Islam-no matter what subject it refers to-is being proved as Allah's Word as each new piece of historical, scientific or archaeological information comes to light. Facts about scientific subjects and the news delivered to us about the past and future, facts that no one could have known at the time of the Qur'an's revelation, are announced in its verses. It is impossible for this information, to have been known with the level of knowledge and technology available in 7th Century Arabia. Allahu Akbar…
The difference in temperature, salinity and CO2 concentrations in seas cause water to separate into layers. This was only known recently. However Moslems knew about it all along:
[Quran 55.19-20] He [Allah] has made the two seas meet, between them a barrier that they don't transgress. (Surah Ar Rahman 55:19-20)
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that sea water can separate?
Not only light cannot reach deep waters but also the water layers down there are not flat but wavy, that is, the seas have internal waves just as they have surface waves. However Moslems also knew about this long before it was discovered:
[Quran 24.40] Or like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hand, he will not see it! If Allah does not give light to a person he will not have light! (Surah An Nur 24:40)
The Quran talked about internal waves long before it was discovered. Also, sunlight cannot penetrate more than few hundred meters into the seas. It is so dark down there that you cannot see your own hand.
Moslems ask how could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that seas separate, have internal waves and there is no light down there?
The water cover about 71% of the Earth's surface. This is also the same ratio the word "water" and word "Land" appear in the Quran. "Water" 32 times and "Land" 13 times. The ratio of "Water" to the total (Water + Land) = 32/(32+13) = 71%.
Tectonics
Earth's crust has been slowly moving for billions of years. Not only mountains are still slowly moving but also whole continents. Moslems say that this is what Allah says:
[Quran 27.88] You see the mountains and think they are firmly fixed: but they are moving away just like the clouds are moving away: (such is) the artistry of Allah, Who disposes of all things in perfect order: For He knows all what you do. (Surah An Naml 27:88)
Cloud Seeding
During cloud formation, water can become supercooled, that is, it can get below freezing point but remain not frozen! This stage is so unstable that we can add some catalyst molecules to trigger rain. Historically humans used silver iodide, frozen carbon dioxide and some salts to trigger rain. This is known as cloud seeding.
However nature uses different material to seed the clouds. Nature uses both sea salt and land dust to trigger rain: Wind at the surface of the seas causes waves to roll. Those waves release aerosols into the air carrying the sea salt. The wind carry both the sea salt and the land dust to the clouds. The sea salt and land dust cause the supercooled water to coalesce and trigger precipitation.
[Quran 15:22] And We send the seeding winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water, though you are not the guardians of its stores. (Surah Al Hijr 15:22)
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that wind has a seeding role in clouds?
Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude; The higher the altitude the more difficult breathing becomes. Moslems say that this is what Allah says. The Quran says that as we ascend to the sky it becomes more difficult for us to breath:
[Quran 6.125] Those whom Allah wants to guide, He opens their chests to Islam; And those whom He wants to leave astray, He makes their chests tight and constricted, as if they are ascending to the sky: Such is the penalty of Allah on those who refuse to believe. (Surah Al An’Aam 6:125)
Brain Functions
For centuries it was thought that the frontal part of the human brain handled vision (simply because it is near the eyes). Today we know that this part handles speech, not vision. (the part that handles vision turned out to be at the rear of the brain
The Quran says that disbelievers will be dragged from there liar forehead, that is, the speech part where they utter lies is at the forehead.
[Quran 96.16] A lying sinful forehead. (Surah Al-'Alaq 96:16)
Genetics
Females have XX chromosomes, that is, they can only give one X chromosome. But since males have XY chromosomes then men can either give the X or the Y chromosome. This means that it is actually the males who determine the sex of the baby (by giving either the X or the Y chromosome).
[Quran 53:45-46] And He (Allah) creates pairs, male and female, from semen emitted. (Surah An Najm 53:45-46)
The Quran says that it is the semen that determines whether the baby is male or female. But since semen only comes from males then this means that it is the males who determine the sex of the baby.
How could an illiterate man who lived more than 1400 years ago could have known that it is the males who determine the sex of the baby?
These are just some of the facts which shows that:
The Qur'an, this extraordinary book which was revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH), is a source of inspiration and true knowledge. The book of Islam-no matter what subject it refers to-is being proved as Allah's Word as each new piece of historical, scientific or archaeological information comes to light. Facts about scientific subjects and the news delivered to us about the past and future, facts that no one could have known at the time of the Qur'an's revelation, are announced in its verses. It is impossible for this information, to have been known with the level of knowledge and technology available in 7th Century Arabia. Allahu Akbar…
JAWAPAN UNTUK ANWAR IBRAHIM BERKENAAN ISU MURTAD!!!
ReplyDeleteMENANGISI MURTAD DAN ZAKAT
Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
(sertai facebook DrMAZA.com dan twitter realDrMAZA)
Minggu lepas saya dan beberapa orang sahabat pergi menemui salah seorang dari 12 individu yang dikaitkan dengan isu murtad baru-baru ini. Dia seorang janda yang mempunyai tiga orang anak. Usianya masih muda. Latar pendidikannya saya rasa ‘amat sederhana’. Saya tidak pergi untuk mempersalahkannya kerana pergi ke gereja dan terjebak dalam usaha kristiansasi. Saya pergi untuk membolehkan dia merasakan bahawa masih ramai yang ingin mengambil berat tentangnya. Lebih penting lagi, saya pergi untuk mengetahui apakah yang membawa dia sehingga terpaksa meminta simpati dan bantuan hidup dari pihak gereja.
Sedih
Saya sedih mendengar ceritanya. Menurutnya, dirinya seorang janda yang ditinggalkan suami. Terpaksa menanggung hidup tiga orang anak. Dalam kesempitan hidup yang amat, diminta keluar dari rumah sewa dan tenat mencari sesuap nasi untuk diri dan anak-anak dia pergi merintih di pejabat zakat. Dia tidak dilayan. Bahkan pegawai bertugas dengan tegas memberitahunya peruntukan sudah habis. Rayuannya tidak diendahkan. Dia keluar berusaha lagi. Dia berjaya mendapatkan surat sokongan ahli politik. Kembali ke pejabat zakat membawa surat tersebut, terus sahaja dia mendapat peruntukan zakat. Peruntukan yang kononnya sudah habis sebelum itu, kembali ada untuknya. Dengan berbekalkan wang zakat itu dia berusaha survive. Dia juga pergi ke bahagian kebajikan masyarakat, juga tidak dilayan. Dia bekerja untuk meneruskan hidupnya yang sempit.
Di tempat kerja, melihatkan keadaannya yang susah dan miskin maka ada rakan sekerja yang beragama kristian mencadangkan untuk dia pergi ke suatu tempat yang mudah dan mesra dalam memberikan bantuan. Di situlah bermula hubungan dia dengan pihak gereja. Apa tidaknya, dia susah, kehidupan terhimpit dan anak-anak yang masih kecil memerlukan makanan dan perlindungan. Pihak gereja membantu keperluan hidupnya. Diberikan wang serta menziarahi keluarganya. Mereka tidak menjadikan dia peminta sedekah, tetapi mereka menggunakan pendekatan ‘mesra dan sayang’. Hatinya terpaut dengan kehalusan budi. Walaupun saki baki akidahnya membantah untuk dia menukar agama, tetapi dia tidak dapat menafikan perasaan sayang dan terhutang budi kepada pihak gereja yang berjasa menyelamatkannya.
Bagaimana mungkin untuk dia merasai kehebatan Islam di saat penganut yang seagama dengannya tidak memperdulikannya. Bahkan enggan membantunya. Bagaimana pula dia dapat melihat kesilapan pihak gereja secara lahiriahnya sedangkan ternyata merekalah menolongnya? Orang mungkin berfalsafah dan berceramah secara retorik, namun jiwa insani terpengaruhi dengan apa yang dia rasai. Sakit demam anak-anaknya pihak gereja yang mengambil berat. Makan-minum mereka, pihak gereja yang membiayai. Bahkan keperluan rumah juga diberikan satu persatu.
Tangkap
Menurutnya, dia tidak menukar akidahnya, tetapi dia terus ke gereja membawa anak-anaknya. Anak-anaknya diterapkan ajaran Kristian oleh pihak gereja. Diajar nyanyian keagamaan dan nilai-nilai budi tertentu. Baginya, dilakukan semua itu untuk hidup. Rupanya ramai lagi yang senasib dengannya berada di bawah bantuan pihak gereja. Sebahagian mereka memang menukar agama kerana kecewa dengan sikap masyarakat Islam dan terpengaruh dengan budi pihak gereja. Menurutnya juga, tiada paksaan dari pihak gereja. Cumanya, pendekatan mereka amat mempengaruhi.
(...bersambung di bawah)
Akhirnya, apabila pihak berkuasa agama mengetahui dia ke gereja, dia ditangkap untuk kali pertama dan beritanya disiarkan dalam akhbar. Menurutnya, sebaik sahaja ditangkap dan beritanya tersiar di media barulah pejabat zakat tergesa-gesa datang ke rumahnya. Begitu juga pihak kebajikan masyarakat. Dia memberitahu kepada pihak zakat bahawa dia ingin membuka taska. Mereka menyuruh dia mendapatkan rumah yang sesuai dan mereka akan bantu. Dia pun mendapatkan sebuah rumah yang mereka setujui yang agak besar dan sudah pasti sewanya agak tinggi.
ReplyDeleteMalangnya, selepas dia menyewa rumah tersebut, selama tujuh bulan pihak zakat tidak menghulurkan bantuan kepadanya. Terkapai-kapai ketika itu. Pihak gereja jugalah yang datang dan melangsaikan kesempitannya untuk menjelaskan sewa rumah tersebut. Sehinggalah apabila timbul isu, pegawai zakat menghubungi dan meminta agar dia memaklumkan kepada pihak yang bertanya bahawa pegawai zakat memang ada datang. Ya, selepas itu memanglah pihak zakat memberikan satu jumlah bantuan yang agak besar kepadanya dengan ‘tukaran’ yang tidak dapat saya maklumkan di sini. Semasa pihak berkuasa agama membuat penyiasatan ke atas gereja berkenaan, dia berada dalam gereja berkenaan bersama dengan sejumlah orang Islam yang lain yang senasib dengannya. Walaupun, kali kedua media menyiarkan dia termasuk dalam senarai murtad dalam peristiwa itu, hakikatnya dia tidak murtad, cumanya ada di situ bersama dengan mereka yang senasib dengannya. Namun, menurutnya memang ada yang murtad.
Alhamdulillah dia masih kekal dengan keislamannya. Semuanya itu kerana desakan hidup. Terus-terang dia sebut‘semua untuk wang kerana saya ingin membesarkan anak-anak saya’.
Semasa saya menziarahinya –tanpa notis awal- dia baru sahaja selesai menunaikan solat terawih. Menurut dia memang ramai lagi yang terpengaruh dengan usaha kristianisasi yang dilakukan. Mereka yang banyak terlibat terdiri dari kalangan ibu tunggal yang miskin, saudara baru muslim yang tidak dipedulikan, wanita yang mengandung tanpa suami, pesakit aids dan juga muslim dari Sabah dan Sarawak yang dalam kesusahan. Apa yang hendak dipelikkan, begitulah tabiat agama yang merasakan mereka berkhidmat untuk Tuhan. Apa yang hendak pelik jika gereja mengajar ajaran Kristian kerana itu memang kerja gereja. Tak mungkin gereja hendak berdakwah kepada Islam. Namun yang pelik apabila ada negeri yang puluhan individu yang mempunyai Ph.D dan masters dalam pengajian Islam yang disahkan oleh kerajaan tetapi tidak dibenarkan mengajar Islam di masjid dan menyampaikan Islam kepada orang Islam.
Salah Siapa?
Jika kita ingin melepaskan diri, mudah sahaja, kita letakkan kesalahan ini kesemua di pihak gereja. Kita tuduh merekalah punca segalanya. Kemudian kita buat demonstrasi, kita bakar semangat orang awam untuk bangun menentang gereja yang melakukan aktiviti bantuan dan ‘dakwah’. Adapun kita yang tidak membantu dan berdakwah ini, tidak perlulah disalahkan. Begitukah kita? Supaya orang dapat melupakan kesilapan kita, kita letakkan segala dosa ke atas orang lain semata.
Cubalah bayangkan jika ada sebuah rumah yang didiami oleh satu keluarga yang besar dan kaya tiba-tiba salah seorang ahli rumah itu lari ke rumah jiran atas atasan tidak diberikan perhatian dan mendapat perlindungan serta makanan. Sementara si jiran sebelah pula menghulurkan bantuan dengan pelbagai tawaran. Apakah suatu penyelesaian yang tuntas dengan hanya kita mencadangkan agar dibakar rumah jiran, atau ditangkap si jiran atau dihukum si jiran kerana mempengaruhi ahli keluarga kita. Dalam masa yang sama kita, kita tidak persoalkan tanggungjawab kekeluargaan yang kita abaikan selama ini.
(...bersambung di bawah)
Zakat
ReplyDeleteSaya tidak menafikan usaha-usaha baik pengurusan zakat yang telah pun berjaya dilakukan. Kita tahu, zakat kita banyak. Jika dihimpun seluruh negara, mungkin mencecah lebih satu billion. Itu setiap tahun. Bangunan-bangunan zakat cantik dan indah. Iklan-iklan mengutip zakat juga canggih dan mahal. Gaji-gaji yang terlibat mengurusnya jangan ditanya lagi. Cara membayar zakat juga dipermudahkan dengan pelbagai kaedah dan teknologi. Tiba-tiba si miskin kita terpaksa merintih simpati dari gereja?
Sesetengah pegawai zakat bersifat begitu meterialistik. Berwajah manis jika hadir di depannya pembayar zakat, tapi berwajah suram jika yang hadir itu pemohon zakat. Tiada semangat dakwah dan ukhuwwah Islamiyyah. Pemohonan menjadi sulit dan sukar. Apatahlagi jika mak cik tua yang uzur disuruh mengisi borang. Maka, pemohon zakat bagaikan peminta sedekah. Sebab itu barangkali ramai fakir yang tidak sanggup ke pejabat zakat.
Jika program ‘Bersamamu’ boleh menemui si fakir saban minggu, kenapa pula pihak zakat gagal mengesan mereka. Jika usaha mengutip zakat begitu hebat, alangkah baik dihebatkan juga usaha mencari mereka yang layak menerima zakat. Mencari orang miskin itu penting, bukan menunggu mereka datang. Bukan semua yang miskin sanggup atau dapat datang kepada pihak zakat.
Menurut al-Quran, yang miskin tidak meminta itu lebih patut diutamakan. Firman Allah (maksudnya):
“(Pemberian sedekah itu) adalah untuk golongan fakir miskin yang telah menentukan dirinya (dengan menjalankan khidmat atau berjuang) pada jalan Allah (membela Islam), yang tidak berupaya mengembara di muka bumi (untuk berniaga dan sebagainya); orang yang jahil menyangka mereka kaya, kerana mereka menahan diri daripada meminta-minta. Engkau kenal mereka dengan (melihat) tanda-tanda mereka, mereka tidak meminta daripada orang ramai secara mendesak-desak, dan (ketahuilah), apa jua yang kamu belanjakan dari harta yang baik maka sesungguhnya Allah sentiasa mengetahuinya”.( Surah al-Baqarah ayat 273)
Berilah zakat kepada mereka, kerana itu memang hak mereka. Jangan jadikan mereka pengemis di pejabat zakat. Berilah dengan kasih dan perancangan agar mereka keluar dari daerah kemiskinan. Kata Saidina ‘Umar r.a.:
“Apabila engkau memberi zakat, kayakanlah mereka”. Kata Ibn Hazm (meninggal 456H): “Apa yang kami tahu tiada sahabah yang berbeza dalam hal ini” (Ibn Hazm, Al-Muhalla 4/280, Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘ilmiyyah).
Bahkan zakat boleh diberikan kepada bukan muslim yang miskin atas peruntukan fakir dan untuk dakwah atas peruntukan muallaf. Lihatlah perbahasan fekah yang lebih luas. Jika zakat berfungsi, bukan muslim akan tertarik dengan Islam. Jika ia tidak berfungsi, yang sudah Islam pun ingin keluar dari Islam!
27/8/2011