Pondering on the Signs of God

[Peace]

In several verses of the Quran, Allah asks us to contemplate His creation and ponder on His signs. Contemplation, in fact, is a kind of worship which we are asked to do frequently.

Allah, the Exalted, says: "Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day there are indeed ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the praises of Allah standing, sitting and lying down on their sides and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth (with the thought): "Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose! Glory to thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the fire."" Quran 3:190-1

"We will show them Our Signs in the Universe and in their ownselves until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord do witness all things?" Quran 41:53

"Then contemplate the signs of Allah's Mercy! How He gives life to the earth after its death: verily the same will give life to the men who are dead, for He has power over all things." (Chapter ar-Room, verse 50)

"And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then turns aside therefrom? Verily, we shall exact retribution from the trangressors." (Chapter as-Sajdah, verse 22)

 

[Peace]

The Marvels of Creation ​

​

Life. The word alone when uttered seems calm and collected, but mine has not always been so. I've always been on the go, busying myself with one activity or the other, worrying about what to do next. And to be able to breathe the word "life" is such a luxury.

The fast-paced setting that so many of us reside in leaves very little room for us to sit down and reflect. The abilities of shiny gadgets wow us, and all things fast catch our eyes, but when lights are dimmed and voices hushed, sunsets still stir even the busiest of us to tears.

What is it about nature that has this profound effect on humankind? One could conjure several conclusions, but for me, the most succinct is that it is our body's way to draw our attention to a greater force present in our lives.

Being an urban girl, I saw very little grass as a child; granted, there were trees and laid lawns, but vast expanses of grass, marshes or meadows just weren't present.

You can only imagine the first time I saw a grass field on a trip out of London in my adolescent years. Amazing doesn't even come close to describing the beauty displayed in the immense crisp green space that stretched as far as the horizon allowed.

I had never seen anything like it before, and the way my heart beat still remains unexplainable. I caught myself breathing slower, and placed a hand over my chest and thought, "He did this". Could it have been anyone but Him?

Nature has always been something that amazed me since then: How flowers bloomed like clockwork each and every year, how trees flowered before they fruited and even the human body continues to astonish me.

A splinter reminded me of just how weak I am — when I removed the sliver of wood from my finger tip I could not help laughing at just how helpless I was moments before. But what truly sends shivers down my spine is the heart.

As humans we have control over several aspects of our lives and what we choose to ingest, yet the heart is an organ that is the very center of our being that we have absolute no domination over. Who commands it to beat, and once a person's time on earth has reached its limit, who commands it to stop?

When we hear of deaths we expect to hear of a murder, a stabbing or a road accident, but more often than not, it's the body's organs hastening to the command of its Fashioner to simply stop.

To discount the presence of a Creator and Fashioner who made it normal for us to have pairs of body parts rather than more is akin to discounting one's own existence.

When you see a sunset that strikes a chord in your heart, or you witness a moonrise that draws involuntary tears from your eyes, it is your body's reaction to the creation of its Creator, and what's left is for you to align your natural inclinations with your mind and heart.

And the best of speech is that of our Creator Himself as He says in the Quran what means,

*{Then if you slide back after the clear signs have come to you, then know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.*} (Al-Baqarah 2:209)

The Marvels of Creation - Allah - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

[Peace]

Pondering on the Signs of God

In the Qur’an, it is stated that the unbeliever is one who neither recognizes nor appreciates the signs of God. The distinguishing mark of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. He knows that these are not created in vain, and can realize the power and great art of God everywhere and find ways to revere Him. He is one of those men of sense, who ( celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (and say): ‘Our Lord! not for naught have You created (all) this! Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.’)(Surat Aal `Imran 3:191)

At various points in the Qur’an, expressions like, “will you not take heed?”, “...there is a sign for thinking men,” lay stress on the importance of pondering upon the signs of God. God has created an endless list of subjects for reflection. Everything we see and sense in the heavens and on the earth and in between is indeed a manifestation of God’s creativity and, as such should be food for thought. One of the verses gives the example of these divine blessing of God:

(With it He produces for you corn, olives, date palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought.) (Surat An-Nahl 16:11)

Let us think for a moment of one of the above mentioned items: the date palm. The tree, as is well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cubic centimeter in size), arises an enormous wooden mass of 4-5 meters long and hundreds of kilograms in weight. The only thing that the seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried.
How can a seed know how to form a tree? How can it “reason” to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to create wood? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges from the seed. It is a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins and with branches that are perfectly organized. A human being has difficulty in drawing even a picture of a tree, while on the contrary a simple seed can produce such an extremely complex object by merely using the substances in the soil.

This observation concludes that a seed is extremely intelligent and wise, even more so than we are. Or to be more precise, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such intelligence and memory?

No doubt, this question has a single answer: the seed is created by being endowed with the ability to form a tree, that is, it is programmed so in advance. Every seed on earth is encompassed by God and grows within His knowledge. In one of the verses it is stated:
(With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear.) (Surat Al-An’am 6:59)

It is God who creates the seed and causes it to spring forth as a new plant. In another verse it is said:

(It is God Who causes the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is God: then how are you deluded away from the truth?) (Surat Al-An’am 6:95)

The seed is merely one of the numerous signs that God has created in the universe. If men begin to think not only with their minds but also with their hearts, and ask of themselves, the questions “why” and “how”, they will be able to understand that entire universe is the proof of the existence and power of God.

http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/3420/434901.html

 

[Peace]

I was in the forest for a picnic during the weekend and I started contemplating the change that comes with fall and saw the countless leaves on the ground and remembered the Quranic verse "Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge", and I praised the ominiscient Creator. I saw ants and different kind of insects that I saw for the first time and wondered about other insects, animals, fish.. that exist and have a role in this life but we are unaware of , who provide for them and is aware of them all the time?, He is Allah the Provider. While I was sitting reading through a book I heard a sound of a bird; I looked up at the tree looking for the sound source and I saw a beautiful woodpecker pecking the tree with its beak, who teach it to do that?, He is Allah the most-knowing.
I left the forest on that day with a contented heart and peaceful mind.
Thank you Allah for guiding us to you!!

 

[Peace]

Islam's Call to Reflect
​

Islam takes great interest in knowledge. It commands people to meditate upon the phenomena of the universe in which we live and contemplate over the creation of God in order to discover the mysteries of nature and the universe.

​

Islam also urges us to travel about in the earth to explore its secrets. There are many verses in the Qur'an that instruct the Muslims to meditate and observe the universe since observation is the first step of the scientific method.​

​

God says in the Qur'an what means:​

​

[Say: Travel the earth and see how He makes the first creation, then Allah creates the latter creation; surely Allah has power over all things.] (Al-`Ankabut 29:20 )​

​

He also says:​

​

[Do they not consider the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever things Allah has created, and that may be their doom shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this?] (Al-A`raf 7:185)​

​

It is a clear obvious call for knowledge and for knowing the secrets of this universe.​

​

In Islam, knowledge and scholars are held in the highest esteem, whereas ignorance is held in a very low esteem.​

​

In the Qur'an, the ignorant is likened to the blind and ignorance to darkness, however, knowledge has been likened to light. God says in the Qur'an what means:​

[Say: Are the blind and the seeing alike? Or can the darkness and the light be equal?] (Ar-Ra`d 13:16)​

​

The Qur'an miraculously draws the attention of scholars to some scientific mysteries of the universe as an indication that they should research and explore the secrets of the universe and then continue on the path of science. God says in the Qur'an what means:​

​

[Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?] (Al-Anbiyaa' 21:30 )​

​

This means that the earth and the heavens were stuck together and they were set apart later.​

​

God says in the Qur'an what means:​

​

[He created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; He set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and He scattered through it beasts of all kinds.] (Luqman 31:10)​

​

This means that the high mountains are set on the earth with very accurate and specific measures so that the earth would not shake while going round the sun. ​

​

An important fact that should be taken into consideration is that the Qur'an is not a scientific book that gives explanation to scientific theories, but it is a book of worldly and spiritual guidance.​

​

Actually, the Qur'an gives universal signs to stand as indications and hints to prompt people to think, contemplate and deduce laws of the universe through observation and scientific research.​

​

Pause for Thought​

​

There are many verses in the Qur'an that urge people to use their minds and hearts. God says in the Qur'an what means:​

[And We strike these parables for the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.] (Al-`Ankabut, 29: 43 )​

​

We read also in many verses of the Qur'an the following:​

​

[Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.] (Ar-Rum 30:21)​

​

[Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.] ( Ar-Rum 30: 22 )​

​

Furthermore, the Qur'an reproaches those who do not use their minds. God says in the Qur'an what means:​

[Will they then not meditate on the Qur'an, or are there locks on the hearts?] (Muhammad 47:24)​

​

Some people consider their religions as a heritage of their fathers and grandfathers which they inherited without thinking, reasoning or persuasion, God draws their attention to the fact that it is not the correct attitude. ​

​

No human with sound intellect would follow naive and wrong beliefs for no other reason than that he found his fathers and grandfathers following such beliefs. God says in the Qur'an what means:​

[And when it is said to them, Follow what God has revealed, they say: Nay! we follow what we found our fathers upon. What! and though their fathers had no sense at all, nor did they follow the right way.] (Al Baqarah 2:170 )​

​

God created humans with minds that differentiate them from other creations. In the Qur'an we read what means:​

[We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation.] (Al-Israa' 17:70)​

​

So this is a simple call to all people to reflect, ponder and meditate on the signs of God in the universe.​

​

Islam's Call to Reflect - Worldview - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net​

​

​

 

[Peace]

“Say, ‘Observe what is in the heavens and earth’…” (Qur’an, 10:101).

Reflecting on Creation

 

[Peace]

The Oneness of Allah

In a day and age when nothing seems acceptable without proof, we find many aspects of our religion are based on complete faith. We are required to believe in many things with or without proof. From amongst these things, is the belief that Allah exists and that He is the creator of this world and that He has no partner in His being or any of his infinite qualities. We have to not only believe this, but also proclaim it.
​

As we look into the lives of the pious predecessors, we find that they have been asked as to how Allah exists. They have answered in many different ways:

1) Imam Abu Hanifah was posed with this question in a debate with an atheist. The time and date was set for the debate. The whole village gathered but the Imam did not turn up on time. When he eventually arrived, the atheist began to taunt him that he was scared and that is why he turned up late.

The Imam answered calmly: “I was on my way but encountered a river. There was no bridge or boat to cross the river. To my amazement, I see a tree coming out of the ground and begin to shape itself in the form of a boat that enters the water; I was able to board it and cross the river”

The atheist began to laugh and disgrace the Imam. The Imam said the real joke is on you. If this is not possible then how can this whole world come into existence and be maintained in this order without a creator.

2) Imam Malik was asked the same question. He replied that I see a cow, a silk worm, and a honey bee, all eat the same leaf but they all produce different products. This proves to me that there is a creator who has the power to do this.

3) Imam Shafi replied to this question that the different language that people speak and use to communicate proves to me that this world has a creator.

4) Imam Ahmed on being asked this question replied that once I took three eggs of a chicken and three of a duck and placed them with the mother hen. When they hatched, they were taken to a pond. The ducks without hesitation jumped into the water but the chicks remained on the bank. Who taught the duckling to jump in the water and who taught the chicks to refrain from this? There surely has to be a creator.

Besides this, if a person truly ponders on creation, he himself will find many signs guiding him to the belief that Allah exists and that he is One.

Source

 

[Peace]

Indeed, the creation is full of signs and wonders!​

The Walking Fish ​

{Indeed, your Lord - He is the Knowing Creator.} (Al Hijr 15:86)​

It’s not a “Pokémon” character. It isn’t a creature from a science fiction movie. This is a real specie. They don’t crawl on land like well-known Catfish but they literally “walk” in the sea.

Brachiopsilus dianthus is a walking fish which uses its fins to walk on the ocean floor rather than swim. Also known as the Pink Handfish, it is just one of 14 fish species on Earth classified under the Brachionichthyidae Handfish family, which is a suborder of Lophiiformes Anglerfish.

Their habitat is the Pacific shallow coastal waters of southeast Australia. A bony scales-covered fish, it is just about 15 cm long, but because of its rarity, scientists know very little else about its biological makeup.

Interestingly, another close relative which also uses walking as their preferred method of movement in water are the Frogfish (Antennariidae) family, which is also a Lophiiformes Anglerfish. However, unlike Handfish, Frogfish are endemic to the majority of tropics and subtropics worldwide, with the Mediterranean Sea being the main exception.

Some other fish families walk in the sea too but with different type of hand/fins, some having two spines instead of being flat.

Source​

 

[Peace]

Space Traveling Rocks

{And that we sought to reach heaven, but we found it filled with strong guards and meteors.} (Al-Jinn 72:8) ​

​

Most people have seen one of them during a dark night at least once in their lifetime. They cut through the black sky with their lovely colors. One can almost feel disappointed every time they pass by because of their speed for wanting to have a better glimpse of them.

Meteoroids (which are refered to as meteors if they become visible in the sky, or meteorites if they make it to the ground) are composed of chemicals that existed during the formation of our solar system which may have been a crucial source of the organic chemical compounds that gave rise to life on Earth.

Their diameters range between hundreds of micrometers to tens of meters. Beside visual observations, meteors can also be detected by sending radio waves towards them and capturing them back as they bounced off their trails. Meteors are useful for meteorology and weather forcasting as we can measure atmospheric density as well as wind speed and direction by measuring the decay rate of a meteor's trail.
The color of a meteoroide depends upon its chemical composition. Orange and yellow, for instance, are caused by sodium; yellow can also be caused by iron; blue and green come from copper; purple comes for potassium, and red comes from silicate.

Source

 

[Peace]

The Beauty of Eyesight​

{Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.} (As-Sajdah 32:9) ​

​

Some people consider them the most precious organs; are our windows to the outer world. As with many things we take for granted, most people don’t stop and think about their presence or how they work until something wrong goes with them.
The human eye plays the role of a bridge: it detects and transfers photons – the basic unit of light – from the surrounding environment and brings their information in to our vision centers in the brain.

[youtube]JadaWSDxBYk[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JadaWSDxBYk&feature=player_embedded​

Unlike side-eyed living organisms, human eyes are located in the front of the head which, anatomically, allows human beings to focus their eyesight like other omnivores primates who act as predators. Preys, on the other hand, benefit more from wide-angled eyesight in order to detect incoming predators and stay alive.
The human eye also has some limitation. We can only see electromagnetic waves of the visible light spectrum, not Ultraviolet, Infrared, Microwaves, Radiowaves, or Gama rays. Human eyes also can’t accumulate light over a long period of time to intensify faint bodies.

[youtube]gvozcv8pS3c[/youtube]

A Journey Through the Human Eye: How We See - YouTube

​

SSource​

 

[Peace]

"Do they not look at the sky above them?- How We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it? And the earth- We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs)-
To be observed and commemorated by every devotee turning (to Allah..
And We send down from the sky rain charted with blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and Grain for harvests; And tall (and stately) palm-trees, with shoots of fruit-stalks, piled one over another;-. As sustenance for ((Allah)'s) Servants;- and We give (new) life therewith to land that is dead: Thus will be the Resurrection. "(Quran,50: 6-11)