Al-Islamic Articles

Life-Saving Liquids

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:30:00 +0000

Eliminating the wear of friction, creating hydraulic forces, reducing the impact of blows, providing clear visual images, maintaining equilibrium … These are just a few of the feats that fluids achieve in our bodies, the most complex machines in the world.

What are these fluids? Where in your body do they operate? How does their existence affect—and enable—your entire life? In seeking answers to these questions, the one most important matter that we must not forget is that, like everything in the universe, the liquids in our bodies act under the inspiration of our Lord, and are under His control at every moment.

Your Internal Organs and Their Lubricant Protection

In the course of their daily activities throughout the body, our internal organs are in a constant state of motion. The friction that these activities generate represents the most important threat to these organs. God, the flawless Creator of all things, has created life-saving fluids that provide our internal organs with this protective lubrication. For example, between the two membranes that surround the lungs lies what is known as “pleural fluid.” With a volume of 5 to 15 milliliters, it reduces any friction as we inhale and exhale.

Another liquid assisting the internal organs is the so-called peritoneal fluid between the stomach membranes. Like the liquids in the heart and lungs, this lubricant fluid in the peritoneal membranes with an area of 2 square meters, has a volume of less than 100 cubic centimeters. Due to the stomach membrane’s fluid-absorbent properties, more than 100 cubic centimeters of this fluid is absorbed, thus keeping the internal organs constantly moist and supple.

In adults, some 50 milliliters of pericardial fluid is also found between the coronary membranes, where it serves a most important function. The noteworthy point is that despite though the surface area of the heart membranes is smaller than that of the lungs, they contain more than three times the amount of fluid. The reason for this is that the heart works five times as hard as the lungs. A person with a pulse rate of 72 beats per minute breathes an average of 13 to 14 times in that same period. Here, the more abundant fluid increases lubrication during the heart’s contractions and prevents any friction that its intense activity might create. Were it not for this fluid, friction affecting the heart-muscle tissues would develop the disorder known as hypertrophy. The heart would be unable to function, and would stop beating.

Another life-saving fluid is found lying between the brain, and the skull. Three membranes protect the skull from the inside and the brain from the outside. Between the two outer membranes is some 140 to 150 milliliters of cerebral spinal fluid. It is particularly interesting that it is only around 50 grams thanks to the lift force within this fluid while when the brain is removed from the skull and weighed it is 1,400 grams. In some diseases in which the level of this fluid is reduced, severe headaches result because of the brain’s pressure against the skull. At the same time, whenever a blow is inflicted on the head, this fluid can reduce or even eliminate any injury by reducing the impact on the brain.

Fluids Around the Sense Organs

As with our internal organs, your sense organs also contain vitally important fluids. .

There are different fluids in every part of the optical cavity; and the globe of the eye itself is divided into two parts: the iris and the lens. The anterior fluid is known as the aqueous humor, and the posterior one, the vitreous humor. The duty of the vitreous humor, which comprises two-third of the eyeball’s volume, is to maintain the eye’s spherical shape. This transparent fluid, around 24 milliliters in volume, is transparent and gelatinous in consistency. If this fluid were tinted yellow, like the fluids that keep our joints lubricated and permit us to move freely, then everything around us would appear to be yellow in color. This is just one of the matchless features in our Almighty Lord’s creation. Like the vitreous humor, aqueous humor is also transparent, and has a volume of around 0.125 milliliter and is produced in glands inside the iris, which gives the eye its color. Like the eyes’ other fluids, this vitreous humor also serves a vital function in facilitating vision: It enables images to be perceived in their actual, normal dimensions by reducing refraction in the anterior and posterior section of the lens in the eye by 25 percent. Were it not for this fluid, we would imagine ourselves to be surrounded by giant objects, or else we would experience an unrealistic sense of depth that would make it difficult to read print like this.

As most people already know, the ear is an organ of balance as well as of hearing. At any given instant, the position of the head and body is constantly determined by the inner ear. The fluid in the labyrinth, known as the perilymph, is dark in color and its viscosity makes it flow very slowly. It ensures a sense of balance by instantly coordinating with the muscles, nerves, and organs such as the cerebellum and the brain. The fluid’s high viscosity guarantees a slow flow when you change position by sitting down or standing up. If this perilymph had any lower viscosity, your nerves would be stimulated by even the slightest movement and change of position, resulting in a state of constant dizziness.

When you realize that this meticulous order exists within all the systems in the body, and that this sublime design is exhibited throughout its every detail, you will once again see the perfection of Almighty God’s flawless design.

God has revealed this in a verse:

That is God, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. (Qur’an, 6:102)

The Equilibrium of Pressure in Your Body

The human torso has two large, vitally important cavities: the chest and the abdominal cavity. The two are separated from each other by the diaphragm, a muscular membrane just below the lungs. The pressure inside the chest cavity is less than that of the outside atmosphere and has a negative value (of minus 2 mmHg). This negative pressure makes it easier for our lungs to fill with air. The abdominal cavity, on the other hand, has a positive value, higher than the outside air pressure. Our internal organs are attached to the abdominal cavity by rather weak ligaments; and the fact that the positive pressure inside the abdominal cavity is higher than the external pressure helps support the internal organs. This positive pressure prevents the organs from moving about when the abdominal muscles contract. The fact that these two cavities, separated from one another by the diaphragm’s very fine membrane of the, have just the required levels of different pressure is just one of the many proofs of creation, the product of God’s infinite knowledge.

Miraculous Creatures that Leave Jet Planes in Their Wake

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:26:00 +0000

Many species of fish, mammals and even insects make astonishing migrations.

But of all the living things on Earth, the most mobile of all are birds.

During their journeys, birds make use of countless features and attributes, every one of which is a separate convincing proof of creation.

The Gaussmeter (which measures force, frequency and magnetic fields), the Earth’s magnetic field, aerofoil shape, wing tip vortex . . . To most people, these terms may not mean anything.. They can be unaware of such details as that—for example—the Earth’s innermost core is of solid iron, while the outer core is liquid; and that the movement of this outer layer around the inner sets up a magnetic field. Nor do many realize how we benefit from that magnetic field for our very survival on this planet.

Apart from engineers or professionals having a special interest in the subject, people may not know that the airfoil shape present in fans, airplane propellers and the wings of birds establishes a lift force when air flows over it, and that this is vital at both take-off and landing. Engineers and experts make use of this information when designing new planes. They also take into account the effects of the magnetic field and take precautions against possible dangers.

However, it’s not only those people with specialized training in this field who make use of such facts. Birds, endowed with countless miraculous abilities by Almighty God, exhibit miraculous behavior throughout their lives. Even though they have received no training in this area of aerodynamics, yet they too display abundant proofs of the perfection of His creative knowledge.

Birds’ Expert Estimation of Altitude and Air Conditions

Migratory animals must estimate air conditions correctly—and in advance. This is something requiring meteorological expertise. The Australian bogong moths are one example of this. These moths fly hundreds of kilometers towards a cool region in the Australian Alps in order to escape the humid climate where they spend their caterpillar stage.

During spring, their caterpillars feed in green meadows. When temperatures begin rising in summer, they enter their pupal phase and later emerge as small grayish-black moths. Then, rather than endure the summer heat, they set out to a long journey for the Australian Alps, where millions of these long-distance travelers spend the summer, gathering in rock crevices and caves, flying only at night. After reaching the mountain, they hang upside down during the summer and live off the body fat they stored up when they were caterpillars.

In order to reach the Alpine peaks, these small insects must take advantage of the seasonal cold front that moves in a south-easterly direction and that will carry them to where they will rest over the torrid summer months. Scientists believe that these creatures are able to detect barometric pressure changes, or changes in the ion balance in the air, that allow them to make perfect estimates.

The Miraculous Systems in Birds’ Ears

Birds have a barometric sense in their ears similar to that in moths. So sensitive are they to even the slightest change in altitude that even if heavy clouds prevent them from seeing the ground, they are able to continue flying in a narrow air corridor 17 kilometers high without losing their way. If we humans possessed a sensitivity similar to a pigeon’s or a duck’s, we could tell which floor of a building we were standing on just by detecting the variance in air pressure.

A bird’s air-pressure sense helps it to estimate flying and weather conditions, just as much as it benefits in terms of maintaining altitude. Sudden changes in pressure typically occur shortly before winter storms, and by detecting these, birds prepare themselves for their difficult migrations. An incorrect estimation could be fatal to a migratory species. In spring, birds in the northern hemisphere prepare to migrate only when the temperature rises, air pressure falls and winds blow from the south.

Why Do Birds Generally Migrate at Night?

Most birds carry out their vital functions—feeding, nest-building—in the daytime. But for long journeys they prefer night. Coastal birds, as well as such small birds as flycatchers, golden orioles, white-throated warblers fieldfares, and most species of sparrow are classic nocturnal migrants. There is enormous activity in the night sky. Telescopic observations during the full moon indicate that up to 9,000 birds an hour pass along the migratory routes. These nocturnal migrations begin one hour after sunset, reach their peak just before midnight, and slowly decline until the day dawns.

Nocturnal migration provides birds with a number of advantages. The most important of these is that it enables them to avoid predators. The majority of nocturnal migrants are small-sized and have weak flying abilities. Flying by night is therefore much safer for them. However, that is not the only reason for nocturnal migration, because some coastal birds that are powerful fliers capable of traveling a distance of 3200 kilometers over the ocean without stopping also migrate at night. Another reason why birds prefer to travel at night is the timing of their feeding. In species that feed by day, digestion is normally very rapid. For that reason, prior to migrating, , birds feeding in the daytime have to ingest food at short intervals and store it as fat in their bodies. If small migrants embarked on long daytime flights and arrived, exhausted, at their destination at night, they would have to wait for the following day to feed, since they cannot find nourishment in the dark. That would mean many of them dying being unable to obtain energy in the cold air. By flying at night, therefore, these birds engage in multi-programmed movement. They spend the daytime feeding and laying down fat for their nightly migration. When the Sun rises, they rest together feed, and continue on with that same routine.

During Nocturnal Migration, There is No Danger from High Temperatures

Another likely—though not fully proven—advantage to nocturnal migration is the low ambient temperature. For birds that constantly flap their wings all day, solar rays pose a risk of overheating. Nocturnal migration prevents that danger. In addition, the energy they expend in flying also produces specific heat. Birds eliminate that heat by evaporating water through air sacs in their lungs—in other words, by means of a kind of internal perspiration.

In all likelihood, birds determine the distances they are able to fly by means of the water they lose from their bodies as well as the fat they store. Therefore, they are able to lower their body temperatures by taking advantage of the lower nocturnal temperatures and by losing lower levels of water. Reduction of water loss to a minimum increases the distance they can fly.

For all these reasons, birds prefer to migrate at night, and their bodily structures have been created in line with this. Of course, there are also birds that God has created to fly in the daytime. Such species as ducks, cranes, seagulls, pelicans, sparrow hawks and swallows migrate during the daylight hours. Storks and vultures, which employ the gliding technique, are also only able to fly by day, because their mode of flying depends on heat dispersion in updrafts from the ground: They are also carried along by the wind deflected off mountains and high peaks.

In conclusion, birds migrate in the manner that their body structures and life styles permit. God created these creatures and equipped them with particular abilities. Everything they do is another proof of the existence and might of God. Therefore, their every action is equivalent to praise of God.

Birds that Fly at the Same Altitudes as Planes— and the Advantages of High- Altitude Flight

Some migratory birds fly at impossible-seeming altitudes. For example, the dunlin and some other small migratory birds can be seen flying at an altitude of 7,000 meters, which is the cruising altitude of jet airplanes. One species of swan has even been observed flying at 8,200 meters. Some birds even reach the stratosphere (the thin atmospheric layer between 8 and 40 kilometers up). Bar-headed geese have been determined to fly over the Himalayas at a height of 9,000 meters, very near where the stratosphere begins.

We do not yet fully understand how birds determine altitude. However, high-altitude flying provides them with a number of advantages. They are better able to make out features in familiar territory. Flying above clouds and fog at high altitudes affords them increased visibility, and lets them avoid physical obstacles. Also, some birds fly at very high altitudes in order to reduce their water loss to a minimum. Because the air is cooler higher up, and that means less evaporation.

Birds Are Immune to the Difficulties of High-Altitude Flying

High-altitude flying provides migratory birds with so many advantages, but one might expect that also brings with it a number of difficulties. For example, oxygen concentrations at these heights are 1/3 lower than those at sea level. However, birds experience no difficulties, because their bodily systems have been created to suit them for high-altitude flying. The hemoglobin molecule in the blood of Geese and other birds is capable of carrying sufficient amounts of oxygen to compensate for this low oxygen level. They also have dense capillary vessels in their bodies to allow oxygen to reach their flight muscles. The structure of the avian lung, which is unique to birds, ensures that air in the lung constantly flows in only one direction, which means the bird is constantly inhaling clean air, letting it use the oxygen in the air in the most efficient way.

How do migratory birds manage to withstand the cold at such high altitudes? This is still a mystery. Temperatures at these altitudes can fall to as low as –14 degrees Celsius, and migratory birds must survive in this freezing cold for days on end.

Every living thing is created in such a way as to be able to cope with the difficulties it may encounter during the course of its life. Geese can fly at such high altitudes, in an environment where there is very little oxygen and where freezing cold often prevails, thanks to the special design in their bodies. No doubt that this design cannot have arisen through chance or unconscious natural mechanisms—in short, through “evolution.” It is God, the Almighty Lord of the Earth and sky, Who creates the birds with these perfect features. God knows the beginning and end of all things and has created all things, from the Earth to the heavens, with features that are perfect in all regards.

Don’t you see that everyone in the heavens and Earth glorifies God, as do the birds with their outspread wings? Each one knows its prayer and glorification. God knows what they do. (Qur’an, 24:41)

[God is t]he Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is. (Qur’an, 2:117)

The Advantages of Flying with Extra Stores of Fat

As already stated, birds consume as much food as they can before setting out to their migrations. They convert this food into body fat, because fat is the most ideal fuel. When 1 gram of fat is metabolized, it releases twice as much energy and water as does the same weight of protein or carbohydrate. During migration, these accumulated fats are consumed. However, a number of problems accompany this spare energy that birds carry with them.

For example, the red-throated pipit carries a fat load representing 90% of its normal body weight. This species slowly burns this fat during its 24-hour migration.

Birds use a specific quantity of fuel in order to be able to carry this load of extra weight up to particular altitudes. When they attain the appropriate height, their most advantageous thing to do is to continue flying until all their fat has been consumed. If the bird alights without using all of this energy back-up, it might encounter very serious consequences. For instance, it might land in some location where in a short time it can’t find the necessary energy to take off again. Flying with additional stored fat is always an advantage for birds. Every year, for example, coastal migratory species have to make a difficult journey of 12,000 kilometers. During their lifetimes, they cover a total distance equivalent to the distance the Moon and back.

Many people are even unaware of these tiny birds’ existence. But when we examine them in detail, we find ourselves looking at extraordinary miracles of creation. These creatures accomplish flawless journeys under conditions that no human being could ever survive. There is no doubt that Almighty God has created birds with all these features. These wondrous creatures are just one of the manifold manifestations on Earth of our Lord’s omniscience.

The Miraculous Measure in Tides

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:23:00 +0000

Tides have such an effect that they can even change living conditions in some regions of the Earth. People, who resume their lives after the withdrawal of tides, arrange their entire lives according to tides. By the Will of Allah, oceans rise up to a certain level. This way, they never become a threat for local people.

Think of a water molecule in the ocean. This molecule is under the influence of the force of gravity. However, the Moon also exerts a weaker gravitational pull on this molecule. The distance between the Moon and the Earth and the Moon’s small mass are the principal causes of this weaker pull of the Moon. This force of gravity of the Moon is not only influential on this water molecule, but also on all objects on the Earth. Yet, because all objects are not fluid like liquids, there exists no apparent changes.

Every region of the Earth does not respond to this rise and fall of oceans at the same rate. That is because the Moon’s force of gravity changes from place to place; the distance between the Moon and the various points of the Earth is not the same. As a result of this effective force on oceans, the water rises towards a certain direction. As the Moon’s position in relation to the Earth and the Sun changes, this force diminishes and tidal regions occur where water withdraws.

The Sun’s gravitational pull also brings about a rise in the oceans. However, this force affects the Earth by a rate of 1/3.

Because the Moon is nearer to the Earth than the Sun, despite the Sun’s big mass, the Moon’s gravitational pull is two and a half times stronger than the Sun.

No doubt, a tide is only one of the systems in the universe that our All-Mighty Allah has created with flawless miracles. The sensitive balance in the tide is not limited to these. As the gravity of the Moon causes oceans to rise, with a second force, oceans are also pulled in the opposite direction of the Moon that is towards the Earth. While all of these occur , Earth continues to rotate around itselfs, so there are two tides happen everyday. The times of tides vary in each region as the position of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth changes. For instance in Northern California, tides come in twice a day, while in the Mexican Gulf, it happens only once, in the form of just one rise and fall.

LIFE STORIES FROM TIDAL REGIONS

97% of the water that covers more than 70% of the Earth is oceans. According to data provided by the World Resources Institution (WRI), 40% of the world’s population lives on the coasts surrounding this water and from time to time, these people experience tsunamis, storms, or tides that come into existence with the rise and fall of water.
Especially at regions where natural events such as tides happen, with respect to the position of the Moon, local people take many precautions and develop various forms of living in order to survive.

Street Fishing

- In tidal regions, sometimes highways are built upon places where water recedes. However, when water comes back, these highways turn into areas where local people fish and very interesting scenes occur. This activity, which is called street fishing, is a way through which the All-Mighty Allah offers food from the sea, one of His blessings, to people. In the Qur’an, our Lord states that He is the One Who bestows His blessings in the sea:

“It is He Who made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that hopefully you will show thanks.” (Qur’an, 16: 71)

Horizontal Falls

The rapid movement of water also causes extraordinary situations such as falls that flow horizontally.

Flawless Design Well-Matched with Circumstances

Most of the fish living in tidal regions have a structure resistant to shallow and running water. While water recedes, they need to hide in small holes so that they are not drifted with the water. They can accomplish this by their thin structure and height smaller than 20 cm.

Fins of fish in tidal regions have the design most suitable for their living conditions. By the fins on their chests, they can hold onto rocks. Their skin, on the other hand, is created to resist the constant currents. Some of them have very few scales, whereas some have none. Instead, various fish secrete a mucus-like fluid that minimizes friction likely to happen during currents.

Aside from these flawless traits, fish living in tidal regions have an amazing ability of camouflage. Some species constantly change color where as some others, wherever they may be, can instantly gain the color and patterns matching the environment.

Another miracle of design in the bodies of fish living in tidal regions is the mechanism highly resistant to water loss. Thanks to this mechanism, even if they lose 60% of their body water, they can survive. The thick skin they have and the mucus they secrete, are the components of this mechanism slowing down the water loss.

The Miraculous Respiration in Air With Gills …

For fish living in tidal regions, one of the most important problems is the need for oxygen. Outside of water, gills do not function. But, their short and thick gill fibers can take the oxygen they need directly from the air by the blood vessels concentrating around their mouth and their skin. For this reason, fish that remain in ponds can surface and thus meet their urgent oxygen needs.

Another miraculous trait of tidal fish is their ability to find their nest under every condition. Generally, most fish species choose a certain place and live there. However, if they leave this place for one reason or another, they can also turn back. Older fish have more of this talent. Research has shown that fish kept in the laboratory for as long as 6 months could find their nests back when they were left at sea.

No doubt, living beings having body designs matching the conditions in tidal regions are only one of the evidences indicating that the All-Mighty Allah created them. The All-Knowing Allah reveals the evidence of His unique creation in every corner of the universe. Our Lord states in the Qur’an as follows:

“The Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is.” (Qur’an, 2:117)

What if the water recedes?

The answer to this question no doubt affects the lives of fish living in tidal regions. The design of fish living in tidal regions is perfectly adapted to the conditions in these areas. These extraordinary designs are only one of the obvious evidences of the fact that the All-Mighty Allah, Who created all the heavens and the Earth, creates them in this way.

Tidal regions where ocean water covers twice a day and then recedes offer very harsh conditions to the fish to survive. When water recedes, fish that survive under rocks, in puddles, and muddy areas, are generally well camouflaged by their colors matching with the ground. Besides, with the receding of water, they often become utterly unnoticeable, for they hide under rocks or in-between plants. Until recently, these fish were thought to be drifted to these regions with waves. However, recent research has revealed that they were created with designs appropriate to these tidal regions.

In Australia’s Carumba region, water rises up to 4.78 m. In Broadsound town, on the other hand, this rise reaches up to 8 m. However these figures are rather insignificant next to Australia’s highest figures, for in Derby, water rises up to an average of 11-12 m.

The Superior Flight System in Insects

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:21:00 +0000

How can a midge manages to beat its wings 1,000 times a second?
How does a flea leap hundreds of times its own height?
Why does a butterfly fly forwards when its wings beat up and down?
The fly is one of the creatures referred to in the Qur’an, as only one of the many animals that reveal the infinite knowledge of our Lord. Almighty Allah speaks of this matter in verse 73 of Surat al-Hajj:

O humanity! A likeness has been made, so listen to it carefully. Those you call upon apart from Allah are not even able to create a single fly, even if they were to join together to do it. And if a fly steals something away from them, they cannot get it back from it. How feeble are both the seeker and the sought! (Surat al-Hajj: 73)
Despite recent research, despite all the technologies that Allah has placed at the disposal of humanity, a great many characteristics of living things still preserve their miraculous aspects. As in all things that Allah has created in the body of a fly gives abundant evidence of a superior knowledge. By considering its intricacy, any thinking person can once again reflect on his deep respect for Allah and devotion to Him.

Some of the investigations that scientists have carried out on the flight systems of flies and other small insects are detailed below. The conclusion emerging from this is that no haphazard, trial-and-error force or entity other than Allah can have created the complexity of even a fly.

The flight muscles of many insects such as the locust and dragonfly contract powerfully as a result of stimuli emitted by the nerves that control their every movement. In the locust, for example, signals sent by each nerve cause the flight muscles to contract. By working alternately, not against each another, two complementary groups of muscles, the so-called elevators and depressors, allow the wings to rise up and beat down. Locusts beat their wings 12 to 15 times a second, and in order to be able to fly smaller insects must beat theirs even more rapidly. Honeybees, wasps and flies beat their wings from 200 to 400 times a second, and in midges and some parasites only 1 millimeter (0.03 inch) in size, that rate rises to an astounding 1,000 times a second! Wings beating too fast for the human eye to see have been created with a special structure in order to exhibit such sustained performance.

A nerve is able to send at most 200 signals a second. Then how can a small insect able to beat its wings 1,000 times a second? Research has established that in these insects, there is no one-to-one relationship between signals from the nerves and frequency of wing beats.

Bluebottle flies beat their wings 200 times a second, but their nerve and muscle structures are very different from those of locusts. Only one signal comes from the nerve for every 10 wing beats. In addition, these so-called “fibrous muscles” work very differently compared to locusts. Nerve impulses regulate only the muscles’ preparations for flight. Once the muscles achieve a specific tension, they contract of their own accord.

In these special systems, created independently in the body of every insect, there is not the slightest irregularity. Their nerves never emit an incorrect signal, and the insects’ muscles always interpret them correctly.

In such species as flies and bees, the muscles that allow flight are not even attached to the wing base! Instead, they attach to the chest by joints that serve as a kind of hinge, while the muscles that lift the wing upwards are attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the chest. When these muscles are contracted, the chest surface flattens and draws the wing base down. The lateral surface of the wing provides a support function and permits the wings to rise. The muscles establishing downward movement are not attached directly to the wing, but operate along the length of the chest. When these muscles are contracted, the chest is retracted in the opposite direction, and the wings are thus drawn downwards.

The wing joint is formed of a special protein known as resilin, which possesses superb elasticity. Since its features are far superior to those of natural or synthetic rubber, chemical engineers are trying to reproduce this substance, in laboratories. In flexing and contracting, resilin is able to store almost all of the energy exerted on it; and when the force pressing on it is lifted, it is able to give back all that energy.

As a result, resilin is up to 96% efficient. During wing lift, some 85% of the energy expended is stored for later; this same energy is then re-used in the downward movement that provides lift and propels the insect forward. Its chest walls and muscles have been created with a special structure to make possible this accumulation of energy. However, the energy is actually stored in the joints consisting of resilin.

It’s of course impossible for an insect, by means of its own efforts, to equip itself with such an extraordinary mechanism for flight. The infinite intelligence and might of Allah has created this special resilin in the insects’ bodies.

For smooth flight, straight up-and-down wing movement alone is not sufficient.. In order to be able to provide lift and propulsive force, the wings must also have to change their angle of motion during every beat. Insects’ wings possess a particular rotational flexibility, depending on the species, which is provided by their so-called direct flight muscles (or DFMs, for short) that produce the forces needed for flight.

When insects seek to climb higher in the air, they increase their wing angle by contracting still further these muscles between the wing joints. Fast-frame and stop-motion photographs have shown that during flight, the wings follow an elliptical course and that for each wing’s cycle, its angle alters systematically. This variation is caused by the changing movements of the direct muscles and the wings’ attachment to the body.

The greatest problem faced by very small insect species during flight is air resistance. For them, sheer air density becomes an obstacle for these creatures that can’t be underestimated. Moreover, a restrictive layer around the wing causes the air to cling
to the wings, leading to a loss in flight efficiency. In order to be able to overcome that air resistance, flies such as Forcipomya, whose wings are no more than 1 millimeter wide, must beat them 1,000 times a second.

Scientists believe that theoretically, even this speed is insufficient to keep these insects aloft, and that they must employ some other additional system. In fact, Anarsia, a kind of parasite, makes use of a method known as “beat and shake.” When its wings reach the highest point in their lift, they strike against each another and then open down again. As the wings, with their string vein, open the front air current first sets up a vortex around the wings and assist with the wing beat lift force.

Many species of insects, the locusts included, take note of visual data such as the line of the horizon to determine their direction of flight and eventual destination. For determining their position, flies have been created with an even more extraordinary structure. . These insects have only a single pair of wings, but to the rear of each, there is a knob-shaped lobe known as the halter. Although the halters produce no lift force, they vibrate together with the front wings. When the fly changes its direction of flight, these wing extensions prevent it from deviating off course.

All the information provided here results from studies into the flight techniques of just three or four insect species. Bear in mind that the total number of insect species on Earth is around 10 million. Considering all these remaining millions of species, along with the countless features they contain, one must increase still further one’s amazement at the infinite might of Allah.

A Solution to Venous Disorders from the Flea Gene

Scientists have succeeded in separating out the resilin gene from fruit flies and managed to reproduce this protein naturally by injecting the gene into a Escherichia coli bacteria.

In the course of one study carried out by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), scientists who succeeded in identifying the gene that produces insects’ resilin also identified a powerful polymer that may prove useful in the treatment of vein diseases. Studies that began in the 1960s, concentrating on the desert locust and dragonfly, were a powerful factor in advancing this most important step.

Resilin, which also gives fleas the ability to make their enormous leaps, gives these and other insects an astonishing capability of movement. Thanks to this substance, fleas are able to jump many hundreds of times their own height and some flies are able to beat their wings over 200 times a second.

The protein obtained from resilin is far better than the highest-quality rubber products in its ability to resist pressure and revert to its former shape. Continuing experiments on artificial resilin show that the protein still maintains these features.

Scientists state their belief that the polymer obtained from cloning insects’ genes can be employed in a variety of very different fields, from medicine to industry. But perhaps the most important of these applications will be treating arterial disease in humans. Because resilin resembles the protein elastin in human veins, scientists hope that their studies will endow veins with renewed elasticity.

The British Professor Roger Greenhalgh states that “This research [into resilin] seems to be at a very early stage, but if we could take something good out of the elasticity of the flea that benefits humans, that would be most impressive.”1

A Miracle of the Living World:

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:18:00 +0000

Scientific research has revealed that throughout the living world, communication is just as important as it is to human beings. Countless living things lack the capacity for human speech, yet they employ entirely different methods in order to communicate with each other—and even with other species. Some of the most dramatic examples of this is displayed by birds. The astonishing behavior and ability to communicate that birds exhibit also totally invalidates the claims of the theory of evolution.

All forms of life on Earth have been created with miraculous properties and astonishing abilities. The examination of just one single species is enough to reveal hundreds of proofs of God’s magnificent creation.

In one verse of the Qur’an, Allah reveals that:

There is no creature crawling on the earth or flying creature, flying on its wings, who are not communities just like yourselves—We have not omitted anything from the Book—then they will be gathered to their Lord. (Qur’an, 6: 38)

The birds to which this verse draws our attention notice are one of the living communities that we need to examine and reflect upon.

There are roughly some 10,000 species of bird in the world, each of which possesses its own miraculous features. Wherever you may live, you can see a great number of these feathered creatures and can observe different and extraordinary properties in each and every one. With their attractive appearances, flawless flight mechanisms, expertise on the routes and timing of migrations, ability to build nests and altruistic behavior toward their young and to one another, birds possess countless proofs of the fact of creation. Their ability to communicate is another of these.

Birds' Sense of Hearing

For birds to display their talents in communicating by sound, song—and in the case of some birds, words— they require excellent hearing. At critical times in their lives, their sense of hearing becomes particularly important. Experiments have shown that in order for birds to learn the distinctive song of their own species, they need an auditory feedback system. Thanks to this system, young birds learn to compare the sounds they produce themselves with the patterns of a song they have memorized. If they were deaf, it wouldn't normally be possible for them to sing recognizable songs. (1)

Birds' ears are well equipped for hearing, but they hear in a different way from us. For them to recognize a tune, they have to hear it in always the same octave (a series of seven notes), whereas we humans can recognize a tune even if we hear it in a different octave. Birds cannot, but can instead recognize timbre—a fundamental note combined with harmonies. The ability to recognize timbre and harmonic variations lets birds hear and reply to many diverse sounds, and sometimes even reproduce them.

Birds can also hear shorter notes than we can. Humans process sounds in bytes in about 1/20th of a second (2), whereas birds can distinguish these sounds in 1/200th of a second (3). This means that birds are superior at differentiating sounds that arrive in very rapid succession.(4) In other words, a bird's capacity to perceive sound is approximately ten times greater than ours; and in every note heard by a human, it can hear ten.(5) Moreover, some birds are also able to hear lower-frequency sounds than we are. Their hearing sensitivity is so finely tuned that they can even tell the difference between pieces by such famous composers as Bach and Stravinsky.

Birds' extremely sensitive hearing functions perfectly. Clearly, each of this sense's components is created by special design, for if any one failed to work properly, the bird would not be able to hear any sounds at all. This point also disproves the theory that hearing evolved or emerged gradually, as a result of coincidental influences.

Communication and Signaling in Birds

Birds produce meaningful communications by their facial expressions, beak movements, feather ruffling, elongating their necks, crouching, bouncing, and flapping their wings. Although each species has its own body language, many different species interpret movements in the same way. For example, various species interpret an upward thrust of the beak as expressing the intention to fly, and the lowering of the breast as a warning of danger. Also, several species perceive raising the tail feathers as a threat, or displaying bright colors atop of the head as a declaration of the intent to attack. Via facial expression, birds can convey a variety of messages to those around them-negative feelings such as dislike and resentment, as well as positive ones like pleasure, enthusiasm and curiosity. (6)

Bird’s Facial Expressions

Birds produce different facial expressions by movements of the beak, or by positioning the feathers above the beak, on the chin, or atop the head. In some species, the feathers above the eye can also move independently. Moreover, many species make a display by opening their beaks. For example, the tawny frogmouth opens its beak to reveal its large, bright green oral cavity, emphasizing the size of its beak and making it appear more intimidating. Some other species open their beaks as a form of threatening behavior, usually silently, but sometimes enhance the performance with hissing or loud breathing. (7)

Besides communicating by means of body language, birds produce a great variety of sounds to communicate with other members of their flock, neighbors, or family members. These range from short, simple calls to songs that are surprisingly long and complex. Sometimes birds such as the green woodpecker use different instruments or, like the American woodpecker, use special feathers to produce sound.

Birds also communicate through scents, although since their sense of smell is poor, their communication is based mainly on sound and sight. At times of poor visibility, as at night or in dense foliage, sound is most advantageous, and is also the ideal method for long-distance communication. If conditions are right, birdsong can be heard for up to a few kilometers.

In addition to song, birds also have conceptualization and communication skills. In certain circumstances, they demonstrate talents equivalent to those of children of primary-school age, learning series of words and other means of human communication through social interaction. When alone, these parrots play vocalization games and when in the company of people, they join vocalizations together to produce new assemblages from existing sequences of speech. God, the Creator of everything on Earth and in the skies, equips them with the talents and characteristics that set them apart. Accordingly, our praises for the supreme beauty of our environment is praise that belongs to God.

The Language of Calls and Songs

To call to one another, birds produce sounds of extremely high frequency and strength. Only a few species such as pelicans, storks, and certain vultures are mute and have no call. The acoustic calls used by birds amongst themselves form a language of sorts. Their songs, which are longer and generally related to courtship, consist of a series of notes and usually contain melodies.
Birdsong is usually heard in spring, whereas the calls, much simpler than songs, are used by both sexes and heard throughout the year. Birdcalls allow swift communication via simple messages without a great expenditure of energy. (8) These calls’ main functions can be listed as follows:

- To establish a bird’s species
- To indicate its bird's gender
- To reveal its location
- To demarcate and defend its territory
- To announce and advertise a source of food
- To let young birds recognize their own parents
- To keep the flock together when traveling
- To warn of the presence of an enemy
- To intimidate an enemy
- For courtship

To mark the changeover of responsibility for nesting duties such as incubating or feeding
To practice and perfect their songs

Bird Sounds Are Not Haphazard

Usually, birdsong is not composed of randomly produced sounds. Songs are exceptionally diverse melodies of specific meaning, sung for a purpose, and are much more complex than the calls used for signaling. They are generally used by males to advertise and defend a territory, or in courtship. It is also believed that songs serve a social function. When a pair is building their nest, they also establish communication by song. Experiments on caged birds have also demonstrated that birds find it easier to learn songs if another bird is present, but out of sight, in another cage. (9)

Male and female songbirds have different brain structures, particularly in the regions related to sound production. With many songbird species, the males can sing, but the females cannot. The males use "song" to call their mates or designate a tree, pole, or electrical cable as a place to perch. Each species sings a song with its own characteristics, but any given species' songs display variations according to age, sex, particular time of year, and geographical location-appropriate for the environment in which they live. For example, birds that live in meadows use "songs of flight." Similarly, ones that live in the dense foliage of rain forests or reed thickets have loud voices to compensate for reduced visibility.

God’s Miracle of Inspiration

As we have explained, birds employ the most suitable methods of communication for their habitats and objectives. There is no question of every bird being able to know which song it should sing under which circumstances, or to calculate on its own the meaning and purpose of the song it will sing. According to the Darwinist way of thinking, however, all the birds and other living creatures that we see around us, , all the abilities that they exhibit and all the beauty that they display, are the products of blind chance. Yet obviously, the consciousness and design that pervade life and living things at every moment cannot be explained in terms of a series of mere coincidences.

Living things devoid of reason and judgment can exhibit such behavior because such intelligence and consideration of the future are inspired in them by God. God creates every living thing with the characteristics it requires and inspires its appropriately intelligent behavior. All living things perform only those functions that God inspires in them, serving as a means whereby we are able to witness His might. In one verse of the Qur’an, God reveals:

Do you not see that everyone in the heavens and Earth glorifies God, as do the birds with their outspread wings? Each one knows its prayer and glorification. God knows what they do. (Qur’an, 24:41)

Specialist in many Ways: The Koala

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:15:00 +0000

Animals have various miraculous features and each one of them is a miracle of creation. One of these animals is the koala. The koala feeding on eucalyptus leaves has various splendid features that ensure a comfortable life for it on trees.

The bodily design of the koala, a native of Australia, has flawless details that it needs in the kind of environment it lives. For instance, its limbs and claws ensure an easy climb to eucalyptus tress with wide trunks. The two fingers in its forepaws are separate from its other three fingers. When compared with the human hand, it can be said that the koala has two thumbs. These thumbs, which are quite different from other fingers, allows the koala to grip more securely.

Four of the limbs of the koala, with its claws that can stick into the soft and smooth trunks of trees like a hook, grasp tree branches with ease as if we grasp a stick, and render a comfortable climb for the koala. However, the features, of the koala, are not limited to these. Here are some of them:

A Miniature Bio-chemical Plant

Eucalyptus leaves have a very high fiber and low protein content. These leaves are rich in strong odorous oil, phenolic combinations and materials similar to cyanide that are inedible and even poisonous for many mammals. These materials, which are poisonous for other animals, lose their poisonous effect when it comes to the koala’s body, for the koala is equipped with a digestive system having a very special anatomy and physiology.

Just as in the case of other herbivorous mammals, the koala cannot digest cellulose, the major component of eucalyptus. However, this task is accomplished by cellulose-digesting microorganisms in the cecum of the koala.

The koala’s cecum, which is quite long, opens to large intestine. Indeed, the cecum makes up 20% of the total intestine. Its length is 1.3m long. (Hume, I. D. (1999). Marsupial nutrition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)

The cecum is the most interesting part of the koala’s digestive system. The access of the leaves to the digestive system is delayed right at this point. Thanks to this delay, the microorganisms in the cecum transform the cellulose into a structure from which the koala can benefit. With this structure, the koala’s cecum can be likened to a bio-chemical plant. While cellulose is being treated in this plant, oil and phenolic combinations, which are poisonous chemicals, are rendered ineffective in the liver.

As is known, the unique food of the koala is eucalyptus leaves. This means, the animal meets its carbohydrate requirements entirely by cellulose digested by microorganisms. In the absence of microorganisms, it is obvious that the koala cannot survive. The One Who creates these two creatures in perfect harmony is the All-Mighty Allah.

Allah is aware of all the needs of the living-beings. He creates them perfectly. Such examples prove Allah’s infinite power to us. In one of the verses in the Qur’an, Allah relates that those who can use their intellect can understand this fact:

He said, “The Lord of the East and the West and everything between them if you used your intellect.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 28)

The Koala and the Balance of Water

In the language of Aborigines, the Australian natives, the word “koala” means “the one who does not drink water.” Indeed, the koala does not drink water, for it feeds entirely on eucalyptus leaves.

The eucalyptus leaves has a water content of around 40% to 65%. This ratio never drops below 40%. Because plants with less than 40% water content dry up and die. Thanks to this feature, eucalyptus leaves provide the necessary amount of water to the koala.

No doubt, this feature of the leaves is not sufficient alone. The koala’s body structure utilizing the water in the eucalyptus leaves is extremely important.

The system in the kidneys that checks water loss of the koala’s body has a flawless design. Yet, what is more important is the fact that the digestive system of the koala has the feature of holding water. This way, only a small amount of the water is thrown out from the koala’s body.

Thanks to the kind of digestive system that can hold water, the koala can rely on excess amounts of leaves that do not contain high amounts of water. If the digestive system of the koala lacked this feature, then the animal had to be down on earth, being in a constant search for water. This means, the animal, which lacks proper features to survive anywhere except for trees, had to face many threats. However, thanks to its special bodily structure, the koala never meets such difficulties.

The Koala’s Protective Fur

The main factor that determines the koala’s body temperature is its fur. The fur is created in a way to ensure perfect heat insulation:

The intensity of feathers in the fur may reach around 55 feathers per square millimeter. The fur in the back of the animal covers 77% of the body surface. The feathers on the stomach, on the other hand, are only half as intensive as the back fur, and it covers only 13% of the body surface.

The length of feathers changes from season to season. In summertime, the difference between long feathers and short ones become even more.

The thick fur on the back is darker than the loose ones on the stomach; this way, the koala collects and insulates the sun’s heat. Despite the loose stomach feathers, the koala can adjust the grade of insulation by steepening them.

On windy days, the koalas on trees give only their middle-backs against the wind, and they curl-up into the shape of a ball. As the intensity of the wind increases, they bend their ears forward. This way, none of their limbs becomes vulnerable to the air stream. The back fur of the koala has the highest grade of insulation. It’s insulation is very close to the grade of insulation of the animals living in the Northern Pole.

The wind has only a weak effect upon this strong fur on the back of the animal. Under heavy wind, the fur can maintain a constant body temperature. Indeed, even on very cold days and under heavy winds, the fur’s heat protection capacity drops only by 14%. Such data indicates that for an animal living on the top branches of trees in forests, they are ensured a perfect protection against cold.

The koala’s metabolism rate is also regulated in a way to complement the heat insulation of the fur. The metabolism of the koala is quite slow; it is only 74% of other animals’ metabolism rate. With such a slow rate, the animal also has a low water loss.

The Koala is a Great Deadlock for Evolutionists…

Let’s remember the features of the koala:

- The koala has a body structure that helps it to easily climb trees and live a comfortable life there.

- Thanks to the special design of its digestive system, the koala can get enough food and water from the eucalyptus leaves they find in ample amounts.

- It has a physiological system that eliminates the poisonous effects of eucalyptus oils.

- It has a metabolism that ensures maximum use of water taken from leaves.

All of these features are required for the survival of an animal such as the koala that lives on trees. Could it be that these features, which are essential for the survival of the koala, have come into existence by chance, as evolutionists assert?

A man of wisdom, who is able to think without prejudice and objectively, has only one answer to this question.

No. It is the All-Mighty Allah Who has created the koala with its flawless features. Allah reveals His infinite compassion and mercy through these features He grants to all living beings. Our Lord informs us about the miracles He creates in living beings as follows:

And in your creation and all the creatures He has spread about there are Signs for people with certainty. (Surat al-Jathiyya: 4)

Enzymes that perform

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:12:00 +0000

Every second, more processes than can be counted are carried out in the bodies of all living things. So complex and detailed are these processes that at every stage, the intervention of “super-regulators” is essential to control the whole system that maintain order and accelerate events. These super-regulating chemicals in the human body are enzymes.

Every living cell contains thousands of enzymes, each of which performs its own tasks, such as assisting with the copying of DNA, breaking down foodstuffs and producing energy from them, and constructing chains of compounds from simple molecules.

Enzymes are produced by mitochondria inside each cell. Large parts of enzymes consist of proteins, the rest of are vitamins and vitamin-like substances. Were it not for these enzymes, none of our functions, from the simplest to the most complex, could take place, or else would occur so slowly as to stop altogether. In either case, the result would be the same—death. We could not speak, eat, digest, see or even breathe– in short, we could not live.

Enzymes’ most important tasks are to initiate, halt and accelerate various chemical reactions in the body. As the cells perform their functions, the chemicals inside them must react accordingly. Higher temperatures are needed to initiate most chemical reactions. Yet such high temperature could pose a danger to living cells, causing them injury or death. The solution to this dilemma lies in enzymes.

An obvious miracle of creation, enzymes manage to initiate or accelerate chemical reactions even in the absence of high temperature, yet as catalysts, they do not enter into—or are themselves changed—by these reactions. Take one example from your daily life of how enzymes accelerate the processes taking place within your body: Thanks to an enzyme involved in the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood as you inhale, you do not suffocate. An enzyme known as anhydrase accelerates the process of cleansing carbon dioxide by a factor of 10 million times! At this speed, the anhydrase can transform 36 million molecules every minute.

The Body’s Rapid and Economical Production Vehicles

Enzymes permit vital reactions to take place as quickly as possible, and also to exploit the body’s energy in the most efficient way. If you compare the human body to a factory, with the many enzymes working within its cells as various means of production, no source of energy would be able to run with that factory. Because the level of electricity needed to power trillions of machines, of 2,000 different types, all working perfectly at such high speeds would be enormous. In a laboratory environment, therefore, an exceedingly high level of heat and energy are needed in order to carry out even a simple reaction in the cell.

However, the cell’s working enzymes carry out their tasks silently and faultlessly in the relatively low heat from the body and with the energy they obtain from nutrients. Just one of these characteristics is sufficient to show how enzymes have been specially designed to make every reaction occurring place in the body perfect yet completely efficient.

Even as you read these lines, a large number of enzymes are controlling reactions taking place throughout your body and providing the nourishment and energy your cells need to stay healthy and functioning. Even though a person has no knowledge of everything that is happening inside his body, enzymes are not only aware of it, but also intervene in all processes in a most vital and accurate manner. Moreover, every enzyme accelerates specific chemical reactions in the body. No enzyme does the tasks of another, nor makes a mistake in performing its own, because each enzyme is specially formulated for performing its own task.

For example, while a large number of enzymes can be effective in fluids with a neutral pH, those enzymes charged with digesting foodstuffs in the stomach can work effectively only under a highly acidic environment. Again, saliva contains the enzyme amylase, which breaks starch down into maltose and accompanies food along the esophagus, but it is neutralized when it reaches the acidic environment in the stomach. But once it arrives there, in any case, its work is done. 1

Enzymes’ Lock-and-Key Compatibility

The molecular shapes of enzymes are completely in conformity with whatever substance they are designed to act upon. Each enzyme—and the substance it will affect by combining with it—fit together precisely in a three-dimensional complex geometry. The way enzymes detect the substance they match, then head towards and combine with it is exceedingly deliberate behavior. Moreover, enzymes resemble conscious hunters, in that they lie in wait, making a shelter for themselves to hide in, where they remain ready to join with their appropriate substance. Each one is in the right place that matches its design and characteristics. They avoid environments in which they might be harmed or become ineffective.

The way they assume the responsibility of initiating or accelerating reactions is a matter worth reflecting on. Unless some agent is present to prevent them, various enzymes will constantly initiate and accelerate all of the various chemical reactions in the body. This could eventually lead to over-production of particular proteins or certain damaging imbalances within the cell. And so, it is the cell itself that regulates the enzymes’ activity. When the cell decides an enzyme to halt in its actions, it distracts it with an extraordinary act of conscious planning. To do so, it sends to the enzyme a substance similar to the one it normally combines with, and the enzyme attaches to this substitute instead. Therefore, this “imitative” substance keeps the enzyme occupied and for a while, forestalls it from unwanted activity.

In order to snare the enzyme, however, this imitation substance must also compete with its genuine counterpart. This inhibition of the enzyme is therefore known as a competitive inhibitor. By means of this method, enzyme activities are thus halted until such time as whatever substance is produced as a result of the reaction triggered by the enzyme falls below a specific level.

This information is not to be read once and then forgotten. First of all, it will be useful to realize that proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins composed of unconscious atoms are making the calculations, taking the decisions and implementing the plans just described, and not trained human beings with consciousness and a sense of responsibility. The cell determines the amount of substance produced, as if were doing a control of inventory. And when it decides that production needs to be halted for a while, it implements an exceedingly sophisticated procedure in order to do so.

How the cell produces the imitation substance to occupy the enzyme and releases it at just the proper time is highly planned behavior.

Because if these imitation substances always existed in the cell at all times, they would then also halt production by distracting enzymes when they’re most urgently required. But the cells’ timing is always perfectly accurate. Such an organized, intelligent form of behavior that is performed in sequence, one after the other, by molecules too small to be seen with the naked eye, is just one of the countless signs of the superior nature of God’s creation. Obviously, these apparently conscious substances behave under our Lord’s command.

Scientists Reject Evolutionist Claims of Chance

As more and more details emerge about the structure of enzymes, proteins and other similar structures, the invalidity of the theory of evolution becomes even more apparent. These structures in the micro-world lead scientists, willingly or otherwise, to accept the fact that there is a flawless design in life.

One such scientist is the microbiologist Malcolm Dixon:

Every minute the enzyme system does what chemists working a full shift cannot. Could anyone believe that naturally occurring enzymes became aware of themselves and hundreds of their counterparts as the result of chance? Enzymes and enzyme systems are touchstones of the same genetic mechanism. The more advanced research is carried out, the more detailed a design emerges. 2

Enzymes’ structure is too complex to have emerged by chance—a fact that is expressed in the famous biochemist Michael Pitman’s probability calculations:

As we know, there are some 1080 atoms in the universe and 1017 seconds have gone by since the Big Bang. Two thousand basic enzymes are essential if life is to survive. The chances of a single enzyme coming into being by chance are greater than 1020. The chances of them all emerging as the result of chance is 10 40000. Even if we think of the whole universe as an organic soup it is still impossible for such a minute probability to come about. 3

As these scientists have said, it is impossible for even a single enzyme to form spontaneously by chance. Yet 50 “pre-enzymes” work together to produce a single enzyme. Yet another enzyme requires nine different other enzymes before it can synthesize a single amino acid. This raises a very difficult question for any reasonable scientist: How did the first enzyme come into existence in the absence of the others? This is a question for which evolutionists can never provide an answer.

In addition to the problems posed by enzymes’ chemical production, they have another extraordinary feature: Once enzymes form, they can easily dissipate again or become passive unless just the right conditions are maintained. In other words, they cease to function until and unless they are needed.

In short, to enable any single enzyme to function, all the other requisite enzymes, cells, systems and structures have to be already in place, in full working order. So how did the first enzyme come into being? The answer is obvious. Almighty God, the flawless Creator, created every living thing and its cells in one single moment, together with all their necessary enzymes and proteins. This fact is revealed in a verse from the Qur’an as follows:

O man! What has deluded you in respect of your Noble Lord? He Who created you and formed you and proportioned you and assembled you in whatever way He willed. (Qur’an, 82:6-8)

The Strength and Power of the Atom

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:09:00 +0000

Atomic Energy and Nuclear Fission: A Miracle of the Qur’an

God is He Who splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from the dead, and produces the dead out of the living. That is God, so how are you perverted? (Qur’an, 6:95)

The terms “seed” (alhabbi) and “kernel” (annawa) in the above verse may also indicate the splitting of the atom. Indeed, the dictionary meanings of annawa include “nucleus, center, atomic nucleus.” Furthermore, the description of bringing forth the living from the dead can be interpreted as God creating matter from dead energy. Producing the dead out of the living may refer to energy (dead) emerging from matter (living), since the atom is in motion. (God knows best.) That is because as well as “living,” alhayyi can also mean “active, energetic.” With its meaning of “non-living,” almayyiti, translated above as “dead,” may very probably refer to energy.

Scientists define energy as the capacity for doing work. Matter, the material that comprises all objects on Earth and in the universe, consists of atoms and molecules that can be seen to be in motion under an electron microscope. In the early twentieth century, Albert Einstein theorized that matter could be converted into energy, suggesting that the two were inter-related at the atomic level. This may be the bringing forth of the dead from the living, as described above, or, in other words, obtaining energy from matter, which is in motion at the atomic level. In addition, yukhriju, translated as “brings forth,” also means “bringing out, emitting” (as in the case of electrical waves). Therefore, the terms in this verse may be indicating the form of energy obtained from the atom. (God knows best.)

As we’ve seen, today it is possible to split the atomic nucleus into its components. Based on Einstein’s theories, scientists succeeded in obtaining energy from matter through nuclear fission back in the 1940s. The verb “to split,” expressed by the word faliqu in the above verse, may be a reference to the splitting (of the nucleus) that represents the dictionary definition of fission. As we’ve seen, extraordinarily high levels of energy are released when this process takes place.

The Strength and Power of the Atom

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:08:00 +0000

The Awesome Power in the Atomic Nucleus

Atom nuclei consist of protons and neutrons. But what is the force that binds together these particles comprising the nucleus? The so-called “strong nuclear force,” the most powerful force that has yet been described by the laws of physics, holds the atomic nuclei together.

This force keeps the protons and neutrons in the nucleus together without dispersing. So powerful is this force that it enables the protons and neutrons in the nucleus to literally adhere to one another, yet keeps the protons and neutrons separate and apart from one another. If this force had any more binding power, the protons and neutrons would combine with one another, and were it any less, they would all spin away and the atom would disintegrate.

When this attractive force in the nucleus is released, the atom is “split” and the awesome power known as nuclear energy results. As the number of protons and neutrons grows, so does the size of the nucleus, as does the magnitude of the force that binds these particles together.

In the larger nuclei, it becomes exceedingly difficult to release this energy that binds the protons and neutrons together. As the particles separate from one another, they attempt to come back together with a greater force, just like a spring. This force is approximately 1038 times greater than gravity—in other words, a hundred billion, billion, billion, billion times greater. So long as it is not interfered with, this energy does no harm. Yet with human intervention, it can assume a power capable of killing millions of people.

The Maintenance of the Force in the Nucleus

This extraordinary force in the atom’s nucleus, sufficiently powerful in the aggregate to endanger the lives of millions, is released by way of two different atomic reactions. The reaction known as fission results from the division or splitting of the atomic nucleus, while fusion is the combining of two separate nuclei under enormous force. In both types of reaction, a tremendous quantity of energy is released.

During early experiments with fission, scientists bombarded the nucleus of uranium-235 with neutrons at very high speed—and found themselves confronted by a most interesting state of affairs. After the neutron had been absorbed by the uranium atom’s nucleus, it became highly unstable. There was now a difference in the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, creating an imbalance. Therefore, to resolve that imbalance, the nucleus begins splitting apart, emitting a specific level of energy as well as the particles contained within it, at very high speeds.

Scientists aimed the moving neutron in such a way as to strike one of the nuclei in the uranium atoms. All that’s required is for one of the atomic nuclei in that mass of uranium-235 to split asunder. During such splitting, each nucleus releases an average of two or three neutrons, which strike other nuclei in turn, initiating a chain reaction by striking other uranium nuclei.

Each newly split uranium nucleus behaves just like the first one. A series of nuclear splits or fissions thus takes place. And since a very large number of uranium nuclei are split, an extraordinary level of energy is released as a result.

It is this splitting of the U-235 nuclei that led to the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, costing the lives of tens of thousands of civilians. But since the Earth, the entire atmosphere and our very bodies all consist of atoms, what prevents all these atoms from entering into just such a reaction? What prevents catastrophes like those at Hiroshima and Nagasaki taking place anywhere, at any time?

Bearing in mind that some 100 trillion atoms can fit onto the head of a pin, you can easily appreciate how any impairment to the stable structure of one single atom could lead to a similar chain reaction. That being the case, what prevents such a nuclear reaction that could very quickly obliterate the whole universe?

Neutrons have been created in such a way that when moving about in a free state in nature—that is, independent of an atomic nucleus—they undergo a process known as beta decay. Because of this, one seldom encounters a free neutron in nature, and then only for a very limited duration. For that reason, the neutrons to be used in nuclear reactions are released by artificial means.

God, the Creator of this flawless order, the Creator of the entire universe, has perfected all things. As revealed in verse 100 of Surah Yusuf, “... My Lord is Subtle in what He wills. He is indeed All-Knowing and All-Wise.” God has created the atom together with the awesome power contained within it, and He keeps that force under control in an extraordinary way. Our Lord has created the atom with a system that can never go awry in its natural state. Although everything in the universe is eventually exposed to decay, the atom maintains its solidity. The nucleus and the electrons that revolve around it at such an unimaginable speed show us this sound creation and matchless dominion of God’s.

The Strength and Power of the Atom

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:06:00 +0000

You breathe air made up of atoms, eat foods composed of atoms and drink water made up of atoms—with a body that itself consists of atoms. The objects you see around you are actually nothing more than photons striking the electrons belonging to the atoms in your eyes.

And what about the things you touch and feel? Those too—hard and soft, rough and smooth, cold or hot—consist of the atoms in your skin interacting on the atoms in those external objects.

Many people, of course, know that their bodies, the Earth, the galaxies—in short the entire universe—consists of nothing but tiny atoms. But they may still never have thought about the system and solidity in the basic building blocks of matter that we call “atoms.”

The fact is, however, that human beings live in the closest possible proximity to this flawless arrangement throughout the course of their lives. So splendid is this system that each one of the trillions of atoms that comprise the chair you sit in possesses an order and a complexity about which an entire book could be written. And under natural conditions, failing a major intervention, that matchless order will persist without ever suffering any impairment.

Internal Order Inside the Atom

Every atom consists of a nucleus and electrons that revolve around the nucleus at a considerable distance away.

Electrons are particles that revolve around their own axes, and also around the nucleus itself—just as the Earth revolves on its own axis every 24 hours, during its year-long orbit around the Sun. Just like the planets, this revolution we refer to as the electron’s orbit takes place according to an enormous precision and without ever ceasing.

Up to dozens of electrons, that revolve and spin in an area too small to be seen with even the most powerful microscopes, create heavy traffic inside the atom. The most vitally important point here is how these electrons, which surround the nucleus just like a swarm of satellites, never give rise to even the smallest accident. For even the smallest mishap within the atom might have terrible consequences. Yet no accident ever occurs; all functioning continues in a perfect order, flawlessly. Electrons, which revolve around the nucleus at the unimaginable speed of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) a second, never collide with one another. The way that these electrons, all identical to one another, maintain their own separate paths is quite astonishing.

Various questions—of why identical electrons have different orbits around the nucleus, how they follow their orbits without ever straying, and how they avoid colliding with one another while traveling at great speeds in such unbelievably minute spaces—all lead us to a single point. The sole truth that confronts us in this matchless order and fine balance is God’s immaculate creation. In one verse, our Lord tells us:

You see the mountains you reckoned to be solid going past like clouds—the handiwork of God Who gives to everything its solidity. He is aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 27:88)

As this verse tells us, the atom behaves as it does because God gave it its solidity. The Arabic word of the phrase translated here as “give solidity” is atqana, which means to arrange or dispose of things to obtain the most perfect result. The electrons within the atom constantly revolve in the perfect manner, in the paths that God has arranged for them—again as the verse informs us. Never do they stray, even to the slightest degree. Furthermore, when we consider the universe, we see that everything composed of matter gradually decays over the course of time, is worn down by external factors, erodes, breaks down and becomes impaired. Yet no such corruption is ever observed in the atom—aside from in nuclear reactions (fission and fusion, which we’ll discuss shortly) carried out through deliberate, artificial interventions. As our Lord tells us in the verse, the atom has been created to be perfectly solid.

Biomimetics: Drawing Inspiration From the Design in Living Things

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:09:00 +0000

There is instruction for you in cattle. From the contents of their bellies, from between the dung and blood, We give you pure milk to drink, easy for drinkers to swallow. (Qur’an, 16:66)

And there is certainly a lesson for you in your livestock. We give you to drink from what is in their bellies and there are many ways in which you benefit from them, and some of them you eat; and you are conveyed on them and on ships as well. (Qur’an, 23:21-22)

Before scientists and research and development experts embark on new projects, they usually look for models in living things and imitate their systems and designs. In other words, they see and study the designs created in nature by Allah and, inspired by these, go on to develop their own new technologies.

This approach has given birth to biometrics, a new branch of science that seeks to imitate living things. In recent times, this branch of science has come to be widely applied in the world of technology. The use of the word “ibratan,” (to learn from, advice, importance, important thing, or model) in the above verses is most wise in this regard.

Biomimetics refers to all of the substances, equipment, mechanisms, and systems that people produce in order to imitate the systems present in nature. The scientific community currently feels a great need for the use of such equipment, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology, robot technology, artificial intelligence, medicine, and the military.

Biomimicry was first put forward by Janine M. Benyus, a writer and scientific observer from Montana. This concept was later analysed by many other people and began to find applications. Some of the comments made regarding biomimicry are as follows:

The theme of "biomimicry" is that we have much to learn from the natural world, as model, measure, and mentor. What these researchers have in common is a reverence for natural designs, and the inspiration to use them to solve human problems. 1

David Oakey, product strategist for Interface Inc., a company that uses nature to increasing product quality and productivity, says:

Nature is my mentor for business and design, a model for the way of life. Nature's system has worked for millions of years … Biomimicry is a way of learning from nature. 2

Scientists who began to favour this rapidly spreading idea accelerated their studies by using nature’s incomparable and flawless designs as models. These designs represent models for technological research, for they provide the maximum productivity for the least amount of materials and energy, and are self-maintaining, environmentally friendly, silent, aesthetically attractive, resistant, and long-lasting. The High Country News newspaper described biomimetics as “a scientific movement” and made the following comment:

By using natural systems as models, we can create technologies that are more sustainable than those in use today. 3

Janine M. Benyus, who believed that models in nature should be imitated, gave the following examples in her book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (Perennial: 2002):

• Hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than 3 grams (one tenth of an ounce) of fuel,
• Dragonflies outmanoeuvre our best helicopters,
• Heating and air-conditioning systems in termite mounds are superior in terms of equipment and energy consumption to those made by human beings,
• A bat’s high-frequency transmitter is more efficient and sensitive than our own radar systems,
• Light-emitting algae combine various chemicals to illuminate their bodies,
• Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage,
• Chameleons and cuttlefish change the pattern of their skin to blend instantly with their surroundings,
• Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, and
• Whales and penguins dive without scuba gear.

These astonishing mechanisms and designs in nature, of which we have cited only a few, have the potential to enrich technology in a wide range of fields. This potential is becoming ever more obvious as our accumulated knowledge and technological means increase.

All animals possess many features that amaze human beings. Some have the ideal hydrodynamic shape that allows them to move through water, and others employ senses that appear very foreign to us. Most of these are features that researchers have encountered for the first time, or, rather, that they have only recently discovered. On occasion, it is necessary to bring together prominent scientists from such fields as computer technology, mechanical engineering, electronics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology in order to imitate just one feature of a living thing.

Scientists are amazed when confronted with the incomparable structures and systems they are discovering with every passing day, and use that amazement to inspire themselves to produce new technologies for humanity’s benefit. Realising that the existing perfect systems and extraordinary techniques applied in nature are far superior to their own knowledge and intellect, they became aware of these matchless solutions to existing problems and are now resorting to the designs in nature to resolve problems that have eluded them for years. As a result, they will perhaps achieve success in a very short time. Moreover, by imitating nature, scientists are making very important gains with regard to time and labour and also to the targeted use of material resources.

Today we see the developing technology gradually discovering the miracles of creation and using the extraordinary designs in living things, as in the case of biomimetics, in the service of humanity. Benyus has stated that “‘Doing it nature's way’ has the potential to change the way we grow food, make materials, harness energy, heal ourselves, store information, and conduct business.” 4 The following are just a few of the many scientific papers to have considered such subjects:

“Science is Imitating Nature,” 5
“Life's Lessons in Design,” 6
“Biomimicry: Secrets Hiding in Plain Sight,” 7
“Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature,” 8
“Biomimicry: Genius That Surrounds Us,” 9
“Biomimetics: Creating Materials from Nature's Blueprints,” 10 and
“Engineers Ask Nature for Design Advice.” 11

In the nineteenth century, nature was imitated only in aesthetic terms. Artists and architects of that time were influenced by nature and used examples of the structures’ external appearances in their works. Yet the realisation of nature’s extraordinary designs and that these could be used to benefit human beings only began in the twentieth century with the study of natural mechanisms at the molecular level. Scientists today are learning from living things, as revealed in the Qur’an 1,400 years ago.

The Army-Ant in Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:06:00 +0000

Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said: “Ants! Enter your dwellings, so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.” (Qur’an, 27:18)

The “Valley of the Ants” refers to a special place and special ants. In addition, the fact that Prophet Sulayman (as) could hear the ants talking among themselves may contain striking references to future developments in computer technology. The present-day term “Silicon Valley” refers to the centre of the world of technology. It is most significant that a “valley of the ants” appears in the account of Prophet Sulayman’s (as) life. Allah may be drawing our attention to the advanced technology of the future.

Furthermore, ants and other insect species are widely used in advanced technology as models in robot projects and are intended to serve in a wide range of areas, from the defence industry to technology. The verse may also be referring to these developments.

Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots

The best known project using ants as a model are the “Army-Ant Robot” projects being carried out independently in several countries. One study being carried out by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University seeks to develop small, inexpensive, and simple physically identical robots that can be used as a robot army. Project officials explain these robots’ functionality in the following terms: “The way they behave as a group, in a coordinated manner, perform a series of physical actions, and take joint decisions.” These robot armies’ mechanical and electrical designs have been based on the behaviour of an ant community. They are called the “army-ant” robots because of their similarities to their insect counterparts.

The “army-ant” robot system was originally designed as a “material-carrying system.” According to this scenario, several small robots would be charged with jointly lifting and carrying objects. It was later decided that they could be used for other tasks. One report describes other tasks to which they might be assigned in the future:

Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic “swarms,” mining (including material removal and search-and-rescue), mine sweeping (both land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface exploration and excavation. 1

In a report by Israel A. Wagner, an expert on ant robot technology, the ant robot projects were described in these terms:

Ant-robots are simple physical or virtual creatures designed to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. They are assumed to have very limited resources of energy, sensing and computing, and to communicate via traces left in the workspace or on the ground, like many insects naturally do…

The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either a central controller who sends orders to the agents, or by an a-priori agreement on a certain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents, eventually leads to a completion of the given mission. A third way, used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of the cooperation. The specific application that we address is covering, which is also known as exploring or searching. This variety of names hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine field. 2

As can be seen in these examples, an ant’s social lifestyle forms the basis of many projects, and the various ant-based robot technologies are providing benefits for human beings. That is why it is so important that ants and their valley are referred to in the Qur’anic account of Prophet Sulayman’s (as) life. The term “ants” in the verse may refer to an army consisting of robots, future developments in robot technology, and how robots will play an important role in human life. For example, they may perform many arduous tasks and thus make people’s lives more comfortable. (Allah knows best.)

Miraculous Mixture: Mother’s Milk

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:05:00 +0000

And We have enjoined upon man goodness towards his parents: His mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his weaning was in two years: “[Hence, O man,] be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the eventual coming.” (Qur’an, 31:14)

Mother’s milk is a matchless compound created by Allah to meet the baby’s nutritional needs and protect it against possible infections. The balance of the nutriments in mother’s milk is at ideal levels and the milk is in the ideal form for the baby’s immature body. At the same time, the mother’s milk is also very rich in nutrients which accelerate the growth of brain cells and the development of the nervous system. 1 Artificial baby foods prepared with present-day technology cannot replace this miraculous food.

The list of advantages to the baby provided by mother’s milk is being added to every day. Research has shown that babies who are fed mother’s milk are particularly protected against infections concerning the respiratory and digestive systems. That is because the antibodies in mother’s milk provide a direct defence against infection. Other anti-infection properties of mother’s milk are that it provides a hospitable environment for “good” bacteria called “normal flora” thus constituting a barrier to harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. Furthermore, it has also been established that there are factors in mother’s milk which arrange the immune system against infectious diseases and allow it to function properly. 2

Since the mother’s milk has been specially designed, it is the most easily digestible food for babies. Despite being nutritionally very rich, it is easily digested by the baby’s sensitive digestive system. Since the baby thus expends less energy on digestion, it is able to use that energy for other bodily functions, growth and organ development.

The milk of mothers who have had premature babies contains higher levels of fat, protein, sodium, chloride and iron to meet the baby’s needs. Indeed, it has been established that the functions of the eye develop better in premature babies fed on mother’s milk and that they perform better in intelligence tests. In addition, they also have a great many other advantages.

One of the ways in which mother’s milk is important to the development of the new-born baby is the fact that it contains omega-3 oil alpha linoleic acids. As well as being an important compound for the human brain and retina, it is also of great importance from the point of view of new-born babies. Omega-3 is of particular importance throughout pregnancy and the early stages of babyhood if the brain and nerves are to develop normally. Scientists particularly emphasise the importance of mother’s milk as a natural and perfect store of omega-3. 3

Furthermore, research by Bristol University scientists revealed that among the long-term benefits of mother’s milk are its positive effect on blood pressure, thanks to which the risk of heart attack is reduced. The research team concluded that the protective nature of mother’s milk stems from its nutritional content. According to the results of the research, published in the medical journal Circulation, babies fed on mother’s milk are less likely to develop heart disease. It has been revealed that the presence in mother’s milk of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids—these prevent hardening of the arteries—along with the fact that babies fed on mother’s milk consume less sodium—this is closely linked to blood pressure—and do not, as a result, gain excessive amounts of weight are among the ways that mother’s milk benefits the heart. 4

In addition, a team led by Dr. Lisa Martin, of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre in the USA, found high levels of the protein hormone known as adiponectin in mother’s milk. 5 High blood levels of adiponectin are associated with a reduced risk of heart attack. Low levels of adiponectin are found in people who are obese and who are at increased risk of a heart attack. It was therefore established that the risk of obesity in babies fed on mother’s milk declined in relation to this hormone. Furthermore, they also discovered the presence of another hormone called leptin in the mother’s milk which has a central role in fat metabolism. Leptin is believed to be a signal to the brain that there is fat on the body. According to Dr. Martin’s announcement, therefore, these hormones absorbed in babyhood through mother’s milk reduce the risk of such illnesses as obesity, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, and coronary artery disease. 6

Facts about “The Freshest Food”

The facts about the mother’s milk are not restricted to these. The contribution it makes to the baby’s health alters according to the phases the baby undergoes and whichever foodstuff is required at a particular stage, the contents of the milk change to meet those very specific needs. Mother’s milk, ready at all times and at the ideal temperature, plays a major role in brain development because of the sugar and fat it contains. In addition, elements such as calcium in it play a large role in the development of the baby’s bones.

Although it is called milk, this miraculous compound actually consists mostly of water. This is a most important feature because in addition to food, babies also need liquid in the form of water. Full hygiene may not be established in water or foodstuffs other than mother’s milk. Yet mother’s milk—90% water no less—, meets the baby’s water needs in the most hygienic manner.

Mother’s Milk and Intelligence

Scientific research shows that the cognitive development in breast-fed babies is greater than that in other babies. A comparative analysis of breast-fed babies and formula-fed babies by James W. Anderson—an expert from the University of Kentucky—established that the IQs of babies fed on mother’s milk were 5 points higher than those of other babies. As a result of this study, it was determined that intelligence is benefited by mother’s milk for up to 6 months and that children who are breast-fed for less than 8 weeks show no IQ benefit. 7

Does Mother’s Milk Combat Cancer?

As a result of all the research performed, it is proven that mother’s milk, on which hundreds of papers have been published, protects babies against cancer. This, despite the fact that the mechanism is not yet fully understood. When a protein from the mother’s milk killed off tumour cells which had been grown in laboratories without damaging any healthy cells, researchers stated that a great potential has emerged. Catharina Svanborg, professor of clinical immunology at Lund University in Sweden, headed the research team that discovered these miraculous secrets of mother’s milk. 8 This team at Lund University have described the way that mother’s milk provides protection against many forms of cancer as a miraculous discovery.

Initially, researchers treated intestinal mucous cells taken from new-born babies with mother’s milk. They observed that the disorder caused by the bacterium Pneumococcus and known as pneumonia was efficiently halted by mother’s milk. What is more, babies fed on mother’s milk encounter far fewer hearing difficulties than those fed on formula and suffer far fewer respiratory infections. After a series of studies, it was shown that mother’s milk also provides protection against cancer. After showing that the incidence of the lymph cancer observed in childhood was nine times greater in formula-fed children, they realised that the same results applied to other forms of cancer. According to the results, mother’s milk accurately locates the cancer cells and later destroys them. It is a substance called alpha-lac (alphalactalbumin), present in large quantities in mother’s milk, that locates and kills the cancer cells. Alpha-lac is produced by a protein that assists in the manufacture of the sugar lactose in the milk.9

This Matchless Blessing Is a Gift from Allah

Another miraculous feature of mother’s milk is the fact that it is exceedingly beneficial for the baby to be fed with it for two years. 10 This important information, only recently discovered by science, was revealed by Allah fourteen centuries ago in the verse: “Mothers should nurse their children for two full years—those who wish to complete the full term of nursing…” (Qur’an, 2:233)

In the same way that the mother does not decide to produce milk, the most ideal source of nourishment for the helpless baby in need of feeding in her body, neither does she decide on the various nutritional levels within it. It is Almighty Allah, Who knows the needs of and displays mercy to every living thing, Who creates mother’s milk for the baby in the mother’s body.

The Miracle of Iron

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:02:00 +0000

Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Qur'an. In Surat al-Hadid, meaning Iron, we are informed:

And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind… (Qur’an, 57:25)

The word “anzalna,” translated as "sent down" and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being physically sent down from the sky," as in the case of rain and Sun rays, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer space. 1

Not only the iron on earth, but also the iron in the entire Solar System, comes from outer space, since the temperature in the Sun is inadequate for the formation of iron. The sun has a surface temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, and a core temperature of approximately 20 million degrees. Iron can only be produced in much larger stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and it eventually explodes in what is called a "nova" or a "supernova." These explosions make it possible for iron to be given off into space. 2

One scientific source provides the following information on this subject:

There is also evidence for older supernova events: Enhanced levels of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years of the sun about 5 million years ago. Iron-60 is a radioactive isotope of iron, formed in supernova explosions, which decays with a half life of 1.5 million years. An enhanced presence of this isotope in a geologic layer indicates the recent nucleosynthesis of elements nearby in space and their subsequent transport to the earth (perhaps as part of dust grains). 3

All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from Supernovas, and was "sent down," as stated in the verse. It is clear that this fact could not have been known in the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Qur’an, the Word of Allah, Who encompasses all things in His infinite knowledge.

Astronomy has also revealed that other elements also formed outside the Earth. In the expression “We also sent down iron” in the verse, the word “also” may well be referring to that idea. However, the fact that the verse specifically mentions iron is quite astounding, considering that these discoveries were made at the end of the 20th century. In his book Nature’s Destiny, the well-known microbiologist Michael Denton emphasizes the importance of iron:

Of all the metals there is none more essential to life than iron. It is the accumulation of iron in the center of a star which triggers a supernova explosion and the subsequent scattering of the vital atoms of life throughout the cosmos. It was the drawing by gravity of iron atoms to the center of the primeval earth that generated the heat which caused the initial chemical differentiation of the earth, the outgassing of the early atmosphere, and ultimately the formation of the hydrosphere. It is molten iron in the center of the earth which, acting like a gigantic dynamo, generates the earth’s magnetic field, which in turn creates the Van Allen radiation belts that shield the earth’s surface from destructive high-energy-penetrating cosmic radiation and preserve the crucial ozone layer from cosmic ray destruction…

Without the iron atom, there would be no carbon-based life in the cosmos; no supernovae, no heating of the primitive earth, no atmosphere or hydrosphere. There would be no protective magnetic field, no Van Allen radiation belts, no ozone layer, no metal to make hemoglobin [in human blood], no metal to tame the reactivity of oxygen, and no oxidative metabolism.

The intriguing and intimate relationship between life and iron, between the red color of blood and the dying of some distant star, not only indicates the relevance of metals to biology but also the biocentricity of the cosmos… 4

This account clearly indicates the importance of the iron atom. The fact that particular attention is drawn to iron in the Qur’an also emphasises the importance of the element. In addition, there is another hidden truth in the Qur’an which draws attention to the importance of iron: Surat al-Hadid 25, which refers to iron, contains two rather interesting mathematical codes.

“Al- Hadid” is the 57th sura in the Qur’an. The abjad of the word “Al-Hadid” in Arabic, when the numerological values of its letters are added up, is also 57.

The numerological value of the word “hadid” alone is 26. And 26 is the atomic number of iron.

Moreover, iron oxide particles were used in a cancer treatment in recent months and positive developments were observed. A team led by Dr. Andreas Jordan, at the world famous Charité Hospital in Germany, succeeded in destroying cancer cells with this new technique developed for the treatment of cancer—magnetic fluid hyperthermia (high temperature magnetic liquid). As a result of this technique, first performed on the 26-year-old Nikolaus H., no new cancer cells were observed in the patient in the following three months.

This method of treatment can be summarised as follows:

1. A liquid containing iron oxide particles is injected into the tumour by means of a special syringe. These particles spread throughout the tumour cells. This liquid consists of thousands of millions of particles, 1,000 times smaller than the red blood corpuscles, of iron oxide in 1 cm3 that can easily flow through all blood vessels. 5

2. The patient is then placed in a machine with a powerful magnetic field.

3. This magnetic field, applied externally, begins to set the iron particles in the tumour in motion. During this time the temperature in the tumour containing the iron oxide particles rises by up to 45 degrees.

4. In a few minutes the cancer cells, unable to protect themselves from the heat, are either weakened or destroyed. The tumour may then be completely eradicated with subsequent chemotherapy. 6

In this treatment it is only the cancer cells that are affected by the magnetic field, since only they contain the iron oxide particles. The spread of this technique is a major development in the treatment of this potentially lethal disease. In the treatment of such a widespread disease as cancer, the use of the expression “iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind” (Qur’an, 57:25) in the Qur’an is particularly noteworthy. Indeed, in that verse, the Qur’an may be indicating the benefits of iron for human health. (Allah knows best.)

The Fine Tuning in the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:59:00 +0000

He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again—do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Qur’an, 67:3-4)

He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs. He does not have a son and He has no partner in the Kingdom. He created everything and determined it most exactly. (Qur’an, 25:2)

Materialist philosophy emerged with the claim that all the systems in nature and the universe were like machines that functioned on their own, that the flawless order and balance within them were the work of chance. However, today, the false nature of materialism and of Darwinism, its so-called scientific foundation, has been scientifically demonstrated. (See Harun Yahya, The Evolution Deceit, and Darwinism Refuted)

The scientific discoveries of the 20th century that followed swiftly, one after the other, in the fields of astrophysics and biology have proved that life and the universe were created. As the theses of Darwinism collapsed, the Big Bang theory has shown that the universe was created from nothing. Discoveries have revealed that there is a great design and fine-tuning in the material world and this has categorically demonstrated the groundless nature of the claims of materialism.

Considering the conditions necessary for life, we see that only the Earth meets these particular conditions. For an environment suitable for life, there are innumerable conditions taking place simultaneously and unceasingly all around us. There are some hundred billion galaxies, each with-on average-a hundred billion stars. In all the galaxies, there are perhaps as many planets as stars.1 In the face of such overpowering numbers, one can better comprehend the significance of the formation of such an exceptional environment on the Earth.

From the force of the Big Bang explosion to the physical values of atoms, from the levels of the four basic forces to the chemical processes in the stars, from the type of light emitted by the Sun to the level of viscosity of water, from the distance of the Moon to the Earth to the level of gases in the atmosphere, from the Earth's distance from the Sun to its angle of tilt to its orbit, and from the speed at which the Earth revolves around its own axis to the functions of the oceans and mountains on the Earth: every single detail is ideally suited to our lives. Today, the world of science describes these features by means of the concepts of the "Anthropic Principle" and "Fine-Tuning." These concepts summarise the way that the universe is not an aimless, uncontrolled, chance collection of matter but that it has a purpose directed towards human life and has been designed with the greatest precision.

Attention is drawn in the above verses to the measure and harmony in Allah's creation. The word "taqdeer," meaning "to design, measure, create by measuring," is employed in Qur'anic verses such as Surat al-Furqan 2. The word "tibaaq," meaning "in harmony," is used in Surat al-Mulk 3 and Surah Nuh 15. Furthermore, Allah also reveals in Surat al-Mulk with the word "tafaawut," meaning "disagreement, violation, non-conformity, disorder, opposite," that those who seek disharmony will fail to find it.

The term "fine-tuning," which began to be used towards the end of the 20th century, represents this truth revealed in the verses. Over the last quarter-century or so, a great many scientists, intellectuals and writers have shown that the universe is not a collection of coincidences. On the contrary, it has an extraordinary design and order ideally suited to human life in its every detail. (See Harun Yahya, The Creation of the Universe and A Chain of Miracles) Many features in the universe clearly show that the universe has been specially designed to support life. The physicist Dr. Karl Giberson expresses this fact thus:

In the 1960s, some physicists observed that our universe appears to have been fine-tuned for the existence of human life. 2

The Speed of the Big Bang Explosion:

The balances established with the Big Bang, the instantaneous formation of the universe, are one of the proofs that the universe did not come into being by chance. According to the well-known Adelaide University professor of mathematical physics Paul Davies, if the rate of expansion that took place following the Big Bang had been just one in a billion billion parts different (1/1018), the universe could not have come into being. 3

The Four Forces:

All physical motion in the universe comes about thanks to the interaction and equilibrium of the four forces recognised by modern physics: gravity, electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force. These forces possess extraordinarily different values to one another.4

The Distances between Celestial Bodies:

The distribution of celestial bodies in space and the enormous spaces between them are essential to the existence of life on Earth. The distances between celestial bodies have been set out in a calculation compatible with a great many powerful universal forces in such a way as to support life on Earth.5

Gravity:

- If gravity were stronger, excessive ammonia and methane would collect in the Earth's atmosphere, which would have a most damaging effect on life.
- If it were weaker, the Earth's atmosphere would lose excessive quantities of water, making life impossible.

The Earth’s Distance from the Sun:

- If this were any greater, the planet would grow very cold, the water cycle in the atmosphere would be affected, and the planet would enter an ice-age.
- If the Earth were any closer to the Sun, plants would burn up, the water cycle in the Earth's atmosphere would be irreparably damaged, and life would become impossible.

The Thickness of the Earth’s Crust:

- If the crust were any thicker, then an excessive amount of oxygen would be transferred to it from the atmosphere.
- If it were any thinner, the resulting amount of volcanic activity would make life impossible.

The Speed at which the Earth Revolves:

- If this were any slower, the temperature difference between day and night would grow enormously.
- If it were any faster, then atmospheric winds would reach enormous speeds, and cyclones and storms would make life impossible.

The Earth’s Magnetic Field:

- If this were any more powerful, very strong electromagnetic storms would arise.
- If it were any weaker, then the Earth would lose its protection against the harmful particles given off by the Sun and known as solar winds. Both situations would make life impossible.

The Albedo Effect (The Fraction of Light Reflected by the Earth):

- If this were any greater, an ice-age would rapidly result.
- If it were any less, the greenhouse effect would lead to excessive warming. The Earth would first be flooded with the melting of the glaciers, and would then burn up.

The Proportion of Oxygen and Nitrogen in the Atmosphere:

- If this were any greater, vital functions would be adversely accelerated.
- If it were any less, vital functions would adversely slow down.

The Proportion of Carbon Dioxide and Water in the Atmosphere:

- If this were any greater, the atmosphere would overheat.
- If it were any less, the temperature of the atmosphere would fall.

The Thickness of the Ozone Layer:

- If this were any greater, the Earth's temperature would fall enormously.
- If it were any less, the Earth would overheat and be defenceless against the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the Sun.

Seismic Activity (Earthquakes):

- If this were any greater, there would be constant upheaval for living things.
- If it were any less, the nutrients at the sea bottom would fail to spread into the water. This would have a damaging effect on life in the seas and oceans and all living things on Earth.

The Earth’s Angle of Tilt:

The Earth has a 23 degree angle of inclination to its orbit. It is this inclination that gives rise to the seasons. If this angle were any greater or any less than it is now, the temperature difference between the seasons would reach extreme dimensions, with unbearably hot summers and bitterly cold winters.

The Size of the Sun:

A smaller star than the Sun would mean the Earth would freeze and a larger star would lead to its burning up.

The Attraction between the Earth and the Moon:

- If this were any greater, the powerful attraction of the Moon would have extremely serious effects on atmospheric conditions, the speed at which the Earth revolves around its own axis and on the ocean tides.
- If it were any less, this would lead to extreme climate changes.

The Distance between the Earth and the Moon:

- If they were just a little closer, the Moon would crash into the Earth.
- If they were any further, the Moon would become lost in space.
- If they were even a little closer, the Moon's effect on the Earth's tides would reach dangerous dimensions. Ocean waves would inundate low-lying areas. The friction emerging as a result of this would raise the temperature of the oceans and the sensitive temperature balance essential to life on Earth would disappear.
- If they were even a little further away, the tides would decrease, leading the oceans to be less mobile. Immobile water would endanger life in the seas, and the level of the oxygen we breathe would be endangered.6

The Temperature of the Earth and Carbon-Based Life:

The existence of carbon, the basis of all life, depends on the temperature remaining within specific limits. Carbon is an essential substance for organic molecules such as amino-acid, nucleic acid and protein: These constitute the basis of life. For that reason, life can only be carbon-based. Given this, the existing temperature needs to be no lower than -20 degrees and no higher than 1200 Celsius (2480 F). These are just the temperature limits on Earth.

These are just a few of the exceedingly sensitive balances which are essential for life on Earth to have emerged and to survive. Yet even these are sufficient to definitively reveal that the Earth and the universe could not have come into being as the result of a number of consecutive coincidences. The concepts of "fine-tuning" and the "anthropic principle" that began to be employed in the 20th century are further evidence of Allah's creation. The harmony and proportion therein were described with magnificent accuracy fourteen centuries ago in the Qur'an.

The Physical Basis of the Beauty in Peacock Feathers Revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:57:00 +0000

Nobody looking at the patterns in peacock feathers can avoid being amazed at their beauty. One of the latest pieces of research by scientists has revealed that there is an astonishing design at the basis of these patterns.

Chinese scientists have discovered a delicate mechanism of tiny hairs in peacock feathers filtering and reflecting different wavelengths of light. According to a study performed by Fudan University physicist Jian Zi and colleagues, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the feathers' bright colors are produced not by pigments, but by tiny, two-dimensional crystal-like structures. (1)

Zi and his colleagues used powerful electron microscopes to reveal the basis of the colors in the feathers. They examined the barbules of the male green peacock (Pavo rnuticus), in other words the even smaller micro hairs that come off of barbs emerging from the central stem of the feather. Under the microscope, they encountered the lattice design in the black-and-white picture to the right. This consisted of rods made of melanin, a protein, bound together with keratin, another protein. The researchers observed that these two-dimensional structures, each with a width hundreds of times thinner than a human hair, were arranged one behind the other on the micro hairs. Using additional optical examinations and calculations, the scientists examined the spaces between the crystals and their effects. As a result, it was revealed that the dimensions and shapes of these spaces in the lattice led to light being reflected at slightly different angles and thus to a variation in color.

"The male peacock tail contains spectacular beauty because of the brilliant, iridescent, diversified, colorful eye patterns," said Zi, who continued, "when I watched the eye pattern against the sunshine, I was amazed by the stunning beauty of the feathers." (2) Zi stated that until their study, the exact physical mechanism producing the colors in peacock feathers had not been known, and that although the mechanisms they had revealed were simple, they were absolutely ingenious.

Obviously, there is a very specially regulated design in peacock feather patterns. The tiny lattices and spaces between them are of the greatest importance in this design. The adjustment between the spaces is particularly striking. Were these not so arranged as to reflect light at slightly different angles to one another, then this variation in color would not take place.

The greater part of the color in the peacock feather is based upon structural coloration. There is no pigment in those parts of the feather that exhibit structural coloration, and colors reminiscent of those on the surface of a soap bubble are able to emerge. The color of human hair comes from pigment, and no matter how much care a person may take of his or her hair, it is never as shiny and beautiful as a peacock feather.

It has also been stated that this intelligent design in the peacock can be a source of inspiration in industrial design. Andrew Parker, a zoologist and coloration expert at the University of Oxford, who interpreted Zi's findings says that discovering so-called photonic crystals in peacock feathers could allow scientists to adapt the structures for industrial and commercial applications. These crystals could be used to channel light in telecommunications equipment, or to create new tiny computer chips. (3)

It is clear that the peacock has marvelous patterns and a special design, and that thanks to the imitation of this mechanism, maybe in the near future, we shall see objects and accessories covered in the brightest of coatings. Yet how did such a gorgeous, intelligent and inspirational design first emerge? Could the peacock know that the colors in its feathers depended on crystals and the spaces between them? Could the feather have itself brought the feathers on its body into being and later have decided to add a coloring mechanism to them? Could it then have arranged that mechanism in such a way as to produce those stunning designs? Of course, not.

For example, if we were to encounter marvelous patterns made out of colored stones as we walked beside the edge of a river, and if we also saw that there were eye-like designs arranged like a fan, then we would think that these had been laid out in a conscious manner, and not that they had appeared by chance. It would be evident that these patterns, reflecting an artistic perspective and addressing human aesthetic tastes, had been made by an artist. The same thing applies to peacock feathers. In the same way that pictures and designs reveal the existence of the artists who produced them, the patterns in the peacock feather reveal the existence of the Creator Who made them. There can be no doubt but that it is God Who brought together and arranged the crystal-like structures in the peacock feather and produced such marvelous patterns from them. God reveals His flawless creation in a verse from the Qur'an:

He is God - the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of Form. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Everything in the heavens and Earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Qur'an, 59:24)

The Miracle of Talking Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:55:00 +0000

There is No Room for Coincidences in God's Creation

Most humans, with their far superior intelligence, have difficulty in imitating other voices or speech while these little birds are able to imitate many sounds they have heard with perfection, showing how exceptionally skilled they are. Scientific research has concluded that this perfect mechanism in birds is a masterpiece of design. God’s supreme knowledge and art, as shown in the magnificence of His creation, is too evident to be obscured by deceitful theories. Swans, peacocks, brightly colored parrots, budgerigars and an infinite variety of living creatures invalidate any claims of coincidence and demonstrate the infinite power of the Lord, our Creator.

Darwinists insist on trying to attribute this perfect system to coincidences. According to their mentality, all the living creatures we see around us, all the skills they possess, and all their aesthetics and beauty are products of blind chance. The truth is, it’s not possible to explain away the consciousness and design seen in all living creatures, at all times, with coincidences. It is purely because of ideology that Darwinists cannot see this evident reality—or rather, they do see it but won’t accept it. These people cling to evolutionary theory out of their belief that it explains the mechanism of life. Accepting that it cannot forces them to accept the only possible and true alternative explanation, which is the truth of creation. This results in the complete collapse of Darwinism and any related materialist ideologies.

The thousands of examples that we see around us, but which the Darwinists pretend not to, are important pieces of evidence that destroy the distorted philosophies of those who deny the miracles of God’s creation. Every person with a conscience will see in the wonderful structures of living creatures, and in the exceptional balance of the universe, the power of our Supreme and Omnipresent Lord. Darwinism and, consequently, the materialist philosophy that has deceived the world for nearly two centuries, will collapse. People will perceive the existence of God and start to live according to the beautiful ethics bidden by our Lord. The invalid system of thought that forms the basis of Darwinism will be completely destroyed, as God makes known in a verse of the Qur’an:

Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through it and it vanishes clean away! (Qur’an, 21:18)

The Miracle of Talking Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:50:00 +0000

The Physical Formation of Sound in Birds

You might assume that in order for a parrot to be able to imitate the human voice—to use a person’s same spoken words, stresses and pronunciation—they must possess a larynx whose structure is similar to a human’s. However, the structure of the human larynx bears no resemblance to these creatures’ physical structures. The larynx, vocal cords, tongue, lips, palate and teeth that humans use in speech are completely different in birds, and some do not exist at all. But even though all birds lack these structures, still these species can reproduce phrases spoken by humans—and in the same tones. If we consider that a person without a tongue is unable to speak or that we lose our voice if the vocal cords are damaged, it’s also worth considering that parrots, budgerigars, and mynahs, members of the crow family, have completely different physical characteristics which nevertheless enable them to talk in the same way as humans.

There are other differences between the systems that humans and birds use to produce vocal sounds. We produce most sounds by expelling air from the lungs through the larynx. Different sounds are created, according to the degree of vibration of the vocal cords. The position of the tongue and lips and the flow of air through the mouth or nasal cavity are only a few of the many other factors affecting sound production. The pharynx, found in humans, lets the tongue divide the vocal tract above the larynx into two cavities with their own distinct resonances. Where these resonances occur, the overtones of the frequencies (or number of vibrations) from the vocal cords are amplified. Formants (from the Latin formare: to shape, or form) are resonant frequencies of the vocal tract, the natural shapes that air assumes in the vocal passage. When you make a consonant, for example, this has an effect on the formants of the neighbouring vowels, raising or lowering formants as the vowel sound gets closer to the corsonant. Experiments have shown that two formants are sufficient in order to differentiate speech sounds from each other.2

Birds have no larynx similar to a human’s, but do have a special vocal organ, known as the syrinx, that enables them to produce sounds. In birds, air from the lungs passes through this organ. In a sense, the bird’s syrinx is the equivalent of our human larynx. One of the principal differences is that in humans, our vocal cords are positioned closer to the windpipe. So far, the fact that the bird’s syrinx is deep inside the body has prevented scientists from obtaining a complete answer as to how birds produce sound. Scientists have filmed birds using infra-red and x-ray cameras, and have made close studies of their song and speech by means of fiber-optic microscopes inserted in their throats. Yet we still cannot explain the physical process by which birds produce song and imitate sounds.

Within the bird’s breast, its vocal organ is like a branched instrument, located at where its voice box meets the two bronchial tubes. As shown on in the picture, one branch of the syrinx opens into one bronchus and the second branch into the other; and either one of these two bronchi can produce sound. Some birds can use either both sides of their voice organ simultaneously, or one of the two independently and, by this means, can produce two separate tones of the same frequency, at the same time. They can sing a high note with one side, while producing a low note with the other. And since the bird’s vocal organ is situated at the juncture of the two bronchial tubes, it can produce sound from two different sources. This even allows the bird to produce two different notes simultaneously, and even to sing a duet with itself. To a great extent, sounds produced here are subsequently combined, giving birds the potential of creating rich melodies. While humans use only about 2% of the air they inhale to produce sound, birds have the ability to use it all. 3

The syrinx is located in a pouch within the clavicle below the bird’s throat. The membrane covering this pouch is sensitive to the air coming from the lungs, and its elasticity and complexity of the membrane are factors that determine the quality of sounds. The sound quality is also affected by the length of the windpipe, the constriction of the voice box, the neck muscles, structure of the beak, and their respective movements. In short, the complexity of the birds’ syrinx determines the complexity of the sounds they produce. Its muscles affect the air flow and consequently, the quality of the sound. In parrots, budgerigars, and some songbirds, the syrinx has a greater number of muscles, and its structure is more complex.

Furthermore, the different techniques that parrots and budgerigars employ for imitating the human voice are most effective. Like humans, parrots have thick tongues that enable them to produce sounds resembling ours. Sound is produced by blowing air through two separate places in their syrinx, and at the same time producing the independent sounds required to produce consonants. The initial sound from the syrinx is shaped with the help of the throat, and then in the mouth with the tongue. In their research studies with grey parrots, Dianne Patterson and Irene Pepperberg reached important conclusions on vowel production: Due to the radically different anatomy of this parrot’s vocal organ, even though they lack teeth and lips, they can produce sounds that closely resemble sounds produced by humans.4 Indeed, parrots and budgerigars can quite clearly imitate sounds such as “m” and “b,” which we normally produce with the help of our lips.

Budgerigars, however, due to their small size, are not able to use the same technique as parrots. Using their syrinx to create frequencies from 2,000 to 3,000 Hz, they then add on a second vibration. This system is known as frequency modulation or FM, the principle behind the AM (amplitude modulation) radios to be found in practically every home. These days, many FM broadcasting stations add low transmitters to their signals which, in common with normal signals, are adjustable through a transmitter, but are of a very high frequency. While the frequency of normal signals varies from 20 to 20,000 Hz, the frequency of many low transmitters starts at 56,000 Hz. The main reason for using the FM system is to offset the major disadvantage of the AM system—namely, the interference of many natural or man-made radio sounds, called “parasites.” Because the weak signals of AM radio are quieter than the stronger ones, differences in signal level are formed, which are then perceived as noise. AM receivers have no facility for cutting out these parasitic sounds.

To solve this problem, Edwin H. Armstrong invented a system for eliminating noise caused by the power of the waves. Instead of changing the transmission signal or the strength of the transmitter, he changed the frequency of sound waves per second. Thanks to this system, the amplitude of noise (strength of sound waves) could be reduced to a minimum. But scientists are still mystified how budgerigars manage to use this same system.

Of course, no little budgerigar can possibly work out for itself from the time it is hatched how to apply a series of principles discovered by man only after long trials. In the same way, no parrot can know that it must produce auxiliary sounds in order to make consonants distinct or to develop systems in its throat to enable it to do so. Also, it’s not possible for such a system to be the end product of a series of blind coincidences. All these complex systems are without doubt, the work of God, the Creator.

The Miracle of Talking Birds

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:46:00 +0000

Each and every species on Earth has been created with miraculous characteristics and wondrous skills. Even in one single living species, we can find abundant proof of God’s magnificent creation. According to one verse of the Qur’an:

There is no creature crawling on the Earth or flying creature, flying on its wings, who are not communities just like yourselves—We have not omitted anything from the Book—then they will be gathered to their Lord. (Qur’an, 6:38)

This verse draws our attention to birds which, of all living creatures, are worthy of special consideration and observation. There are approximately ten thousand different species of birds, many of which have miraculous characteristics. Wherever we live, we may encounter many of these creatures and can admire the different aspects of each variety. They exhibit countless examples of the evidence of creation, through their aesthetic appearance, their perfect flying mechanisms, their expertise in migration, their nest-making skills and their self-sacrificing behavior.

Meanwhile, other species of birds are created with a special aptitude for forming social groups. Many varieties live together as a community, warn one another of danger, work collectively to find food and shelter, and make various sacrifices to help each other out in any number of ways. (For detailed information, see Harun Yahya, Devotion Among Animals: Revealing the Work of God). As God pointed out in the Qur’an, these creatures are capable of establishing their own form of communication and performing in cooperative ways the duties inspired in them by God.

Some birds distinguish themselves by their superior intelligence and special talents. These particular species are defined as birds that can imitate sounds, include the parrots, songbirds, and hummingbirds. Many of us have heard about, seen on television or even personally witnessed these birds’ ability to talk. However, we may not have considered what a great miracle it is that these creatures can mimic in this way, or to the perfection of the way in which God has created them.

These creatures’ being hatched with their ability to talk or imitate sounds is one of the miracles of creation and, at the same time invalidates the claims of evolutionary theory.

The Special Design which Enables Birds to Produce Sound

Talking, or even imitating sound, is not just a simple matter of opening and closing the mouth, as some people believe. A complex system is required for this action to take place, and all parts of this system must be synchronized in perfect working order. Birds with a talent for sound mimicry enjoy all of these requirements and demonstrate their ability in extraordinary ways.

Some of these species have a talent rarely found in any other creature except man. The best example of this are parrots, which can imitate, in addition to human speech, a wide range of sounds that even humans can’t duplicate convincingly—for example, as the creaking of a door, the cap being removed from a bottle, a ringing telephone, or a tune being whistled. This talent to imitate, observable in parrots and some other bird species, is not an ability that can be acquired by coincidence. For any living creature to imitate a sound it has heard, it needs to have complex physiological structures already in place. Particularly in the case of birds that can closely imitate the human voice in terms of tone, stress and expression, these structures must be very sophisticated.

For a bird to reproduce a word or a melody it has heard, it needs to have an appropriate physical structure. Its sense of hearing must be functioning perfectly, and it must be able to memorize the information received by the senses and the ability to conceptualize meaning in its own terms.

People are astonished the first time they hear a parrot say “Hello!” when the phone rings, ask “Who is it?” when the doorbell rings, or greet someone familiar by name. But even though it’s an astonishing achievement for a bird to say even one word, many don’t really give it due consideration. Over time, they may even come to see it as normal and commonplace.

Not only does the bird see and recognize the person approaching; what’s more, the bird knows how to react to a person it knows. It remembers—and reproduces—words it associates with that person. This is evident proof that the bird has an accurate memory. If we consider that some species of birds seem to understand questions they are asked and give a seemingly logical answer, the issue becomes even more complex. One important example of this is a trained grey parrot by the name of Alex. When he’s presented with a red (rose) piece of paper and asked “What color?” he answers “rose.”1

A bird possessing such talents is a great wonder of creation, for birds and other animals do not have free will and reason, and do not share the human characteristics of thought, the ability to make conscious decisions and the determination to carry them out. The ability to talk and imitate sounds is taught by God to certain species of birds. These creatures do not talk because of their own rational thought, will or consciousness, but through God’s inspiration. In a verse of the Qur’an, God conveys that He is supreme over all living creatures: “… There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock…” (Qur’an, 11:56) All the wondrous characteristics of birds that can imitate sounds are just part of the evidence God shows to man so we may witness the magnificence of His creation.

The Delicate Balance on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:41:00 +0000

The earth is a living planet where many complex systems run perfectly without stopping at all. When compared to other planets, it is evident that in all its aspects the earth is specially designed for human life. Built on delicate balances, life prevails in every spot of this planet, from the atmosphere to the depths of the earth.

Exploring only a few of the millions of these delicate balances would be sufficient to show that the world we live in is specially designed for us.

One of the most important balances in our planet is revealed in the atmosphere that surrounds us. The atmosphere of the earth holds the most appropriate gasses in the most appropriate ratio needed for the survival not only of human beings, but also of all the living beings on the earth.

The 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% carbon dioxide as well as other gasses readily available in the atmosphere represent the ideal figures necessary for the survival of living beings. Oxygen, a gas that is vital for living beings, helps food to be burned and converted into energy in our bodies.

If the oxygen quantity in the atmosphere were greater than 21%, the cells in our body would soon start to suffer great damages. The vegetation and hydrocarbon molecules needed for life would also be destroyed. If this quantity were less, then this would cause difficulties in our respiration, and the food we eat would not be converted into energy. Therefore, the 21% oxygen in the atmosphere is the most ideal quantity determined for life.

No less than oxygen, other gasses like nitrogen and carbon dioxide are also arranged in the ideal quantity for the needs of living beings and the continuity of life. The amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere has the ideal ratio to balance the harmful and burning effects of oxygen. This ratio represents the most appropriate value required for photosynthesis, which is essential for life's energy supply on the earth. Moreover, the amount of carbon dioxide has the most appropriate value that is needed to maintain the stability of the surface temperature of the earth and to prevent heat loss especially at night time. This gas, comprising 1% of the atmosphere, covers the earth like a quilt and prevents the loss of heat to space. If this amount were greater, the temperature of the earth would increase excessively, causing climatic instability and posing a serious threat against living beings.

These proportions remain constant thanks to a perfect system. The vegetation covering the earth converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, producing 190 billion tons of oxygen every day. The proportion of other gasses is always kept constant on the earth by the help of interconnected complex systems. Life is thus sustained.

In addition to the establishment of the ideal gas mixture required for life on the earth, the mechanisms needed to preserve and maintain this order are created alongside with it. Any break in the balance, though instantaneous, or any change in the ratios even for a very short time period, would mean the total destruction of life. Yet, this does not happen. The formation of these gasses in the atmosphere just in the amount people need, and the constant preservation of these ratios indicate a planned creation.

At the same time, the earth has the ideal size in terms of magnitude to possess an atmosphere. If the mass of the earth were a little less, then its gravitational force would be insufficient and the atmosphere would be dispersed in space. If its mass were a little greater, then the gravitational force would be too much and the earth would absorb all gasses in the atmosphere. There is an incredibly high number of conditions required for the formation of an atmosphere such as the one our world currently has and all of these conditions should exist altogether to be able to talk of life.

The creation of these delicate proportions and balances in the sky is mentioned in the 7th verse of Surat ar-Rahman:

He erected heaven and established the balance. (Qur'an, 55:7)

The majority of people spend their lives without being aware of the delicate balances and subtle adjustments in the gas composition of the atmosphere, the distance of the world to the sun or the movements of planets. They are ignorant of the great significance of these balances and adjustments to their own lives. However, even a minor deviation in any one of these arrangements would create very severe problems regarding the existence and survival of humankind.

There are many other balances established on earth for the continuity of life:

For instance, if the surface gravity were stronger than its current value, the atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane gasses, which would mean the end of life. If it were weaker, the planet's atmosphere would lose too much water, and life on earth would be impossible.

The thickness of the earth's crust constitutes another one of the delicate balances in the earth. If the earth's crust were thicker, too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust and this would have severe effects on human life.

If the opposite were true, that is, if the earth's crust were thinner, volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great to permit life on earth.

Another crucial balance for human life is the ozone level in the atmosphere. If it were greater than its current value, the surface temperatures would be too low. If it were less, surface temperatures would be too high, and there would be too much ultraviolet radiation at the surface.

In fact, the absence of even a single of these balances would set the end to life on earth. However, Allah has created the universe with infinite wisdom and power and designed the earth specially for human life. Despite this fact, the majority of people lead their lives in total ignorance of these events. In the Qur'an, Allah reminds people of His blessings in the 13th verse of Surat al-Fatir:

(Allah) makes night merge into day and day merge into night, and He has made the sun and moon subservient, each one running until a specified time. That is Allah, your Lord. The Kingdom is His. Those you call on besides Him have no power over even the smallest speck. (Qur'an, 35:13)

It is sufficient look at millions of dead planets in space in order to understand that the delicate balances required for life on earth is not a result of random coincidences. The conditions essential for life are too complicated to have been formed 'on their own' and at random, and these conditions are specially created for life alone.

These balances we have briefly described so far are only a few of the millions of intricate, interrelated balances and orders established so that people can live in peace and safety on the earth.

Examining only a part of the balances and harmony on the earth is enough to comprehend the superior being of Allah and grasp the existence of a planned creation in every detail of the universe. It is no doubt impossible for a person or any other living being to build such an enormous balance and order. Nor are the components of this order such as atoms, elements, molecules, and gasses capable of establishing an order based on such intricate and extremely delicate calculations and measurements, and such fine tunings. This is because activities like planning, ordering, arranging, calculating, and proportioning can only be realized by beings that possess wisdom, knowledge and power. The Exalted Being Who orders, plans and balances the entire universe to be fit for life of human beings on a planet like earth and Who sustains it with dramatically delicate measures and balances is Allah, Who has Infinite Wisdom, Knowledge and Power.

In the Qur'an, it is stated that those people who are able to realize these facts are only 'people with intelligence':

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people with intelligence: those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire." (Qur'an, 3:190-191)

Some Miracles of the Qur’an Relating the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:39:00 +0000

THE SUN'S TRAJECTORY

It is stressed in the Qur'an that the Sun and Moon follow specific trajectories:

It is He Who created night and day and the Sun and Moon, each one swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 21:33)

The word "swim" in the above verse is expressed in Arabic by the word "sabaha" and is used to describe the movement of the Sun in space. The word means that the Sun does not move randomly through space but that it rotates around its axis and follows a course as it does so. The fact that the Sun is not fixed in position but rather follows a specific trajectory is also stated in another verse:

And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 36:38)

These facts set out in the Qur'an were only discovered by means of astronomical advances in our own time. According to astronomers' calculations, the Sun moves along a path known as the Solar Apex in the path of the star Vega at an incredible speed of 720,000 kmph (447,000 mph). In rough terms, this shows that the Sun traverses some 17.28 million km (10.74 million miles) a day. As well as the Sun itself, all the planets and satellites within its gravitational field also travel the same distance.

THE MOON'S ORBIT

And We have decreed set phases for the Moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. It is not for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the day; each one is swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 36:39-40)

The Moon does not follow a regular orbit like the satellites of other planets. As it orbits the Earth, it sometimes moves behind it and sometimes in front. As it also moves with the Earth around the Sun, it actually follows a constant pattern resembling the letter "S" in space. This route, traced by the Moon in space, is described in the Qur'an as resembling an old date branch and does indeed resemble the twisted form of the date tree branch. Indeed, the word "urjoon" employed in the Qur'an refers to a thin and twisted date branch and is used to describe that part left after the fruit has been picked. The way that this branch is described as "old" is also most appropriate since old date branches are thinner and more twisted.

There is no doubt that it was impossible for anyone to have any knowledge about the orbit of the Moon 1,400 years ago. The way that this pattern, identified by modern technology and accumulated knowledge, was revealed in the Book is yet another scientific miracle of the Qur'an.

Some Miracles of the Qur’an Relating the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:38:00 +0000

ORBITS AND THE ROTATING UNIVERSE

One of the most important reasons for the great equilibrium in the universe is the fact that celestial bodies follow specific paths. Stars, planets and satellites all rotate around their own axes and also rotate together with the system of which they are a part. The universe functions within a finely-tuned order, just like the wheels in a factory.

There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the visible universe and each small galaxy contains approximately a billion stars. Furthermore, each big galaxy contains more than a trillion.5 Many of these stars have planets and many of those planets have satellites. All these celestial bodies follow the most finely calculated paths and orbits. For millions of years, each one has been moving in its own path in flawless harmony with all the others. In addition to these, there are also a great many comets moving along in their own pre-determined paths.

In addition, the paths in the universe are not restricted to a few celestial bodies. The Solar System and even other galaxies also exhibit considerable motion around other centres. Every year, Earth, and the Solar System with it, move some 500 million km (310 million miles) from where they were the previous year. It has been calculated that even the slightest deviation from celestial bodies' paths could have drastic consequences which might spell the end of the entire system. For example, the consequences of the Earth's deviating from its course by a mere 3 mm have been described in one source as follows:

While rotating around the sun, the earth follows such an orbit that, every 18 miles, it only deviates 2.8 millimetres from a direct course. The orbit followed by the earth never changes, because even a deviation of 3 millimetres would cause catastrophic disasters: If the deviation were 2.5 mm instead of 2.8 mm, then the orbit would be very large, and all of us would freeze. If the deviation were 3.1 mm, we would be scorched to death.6

Another characteristic of heavenly bodies is that they also rotate around their own axes. The verse which reads "[I swear] by Heaven with its cyclical systems," (Qur'an, 86:11) indicates this truth. Naturally, at the time when the Qur'an was revealed, people had no telescopes with which to study bodies millions of kilometres away in space, advanced observation technology or our modern knowledge of physics and astronomy. It was therefore impossible to establish that space had "its oscillating orbits," (Qur'an, 51:7) as described in the verse. The Qur'an however, revealed at that time, provided clear information concerning that fact. This is proof that this book is indeed Allah's word.

Some Miracles of the Qur’an Relating the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:36:00 +0000

THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS

We built seven firm layers above you. We installed a blazing lamp. (Qur'an, 78:12-13)

As we know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun. The expression "lamp" in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic word "siraaj," which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source of light and heat.

In the Qur'an Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Qur'an:

Don't you see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the Moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? (Qur'an, 71:15-16)

In the above verse, the word "light" is used for the Moon ("noor" in Arabic) and the word "lamp" for the Sun ("siraaj" in Arabic.) The word used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body. The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning, a constant source of heat and light.

On the other hand, the word "star" comes from the Arabic root "najama," meaning "appearing, emerging, visible." As in the verse below, stars are also referred to by the word "thaaqib," which is used for that which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning:

It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Qur'an, 86:3)

We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qur'an in an age when mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of their own accord. It was an age when peoples' knowledge of celestial bodies was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the miraculous nature of the book of Islam.

Some Miracles of the Qur’an Relating the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:33:00 +0000

THE STAR SIRIUS

When certain concepts mentioned in the Qur'an are studied in the light of 21st century scientific discoveries we find ourselves imparted with yet more miracles of the Qur'an. One of these is the star Sirius, mentioned in Surat an-Najm 49:

... it is He Who is the Lord of Sirius. (Qur'an, 53: 49)

The fact that the Arabic word "shi'raa," the equivalent of the star Sirius, appears only in Surat an-Najm, meaning only "star," 49 is particularly striking. Because, considering the irregularity in the movement of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, as their starting point, scientists discovered that it was actually a double star. Sirius is actually a set of two stars, known as Sirius A and Sirius B. The larger of these is Sirius A, which is also the closer to the Earth and the brightest star that can be seen with the naked eye. Sirius B, however, cannot be seen without a telescope.

The Sirius double stars orbit in ellipses about one another. The orbital period of Sirius A & B about their common centre of gravity is 49.9 years. This scientific data is today accepted with one accord by the departments of astronomy at Harvard, Ottawa and Leicester Universities.2 This information is reported as follows in various sources:

Sirius, the brightest star, is actually a twin star... Its orbit lasts 49.9 years.3

As is known, the stars Sirius-A and Sirius-B orbit each other in a double bow every 49.9 years.4

The point requiring attention here is the double, bow-shaped orbit of the two stars around one another.

However, this scientific fact, the accuracy of which was only realised in the late 20th century, was miraculously indicated in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. When verses 49 and 9 of Surat an-Najm are read together, this miracle becomes apparent:

It is He Who is the Lord of Sirius. (Qur'an, 53: 49)

He was two bow-lengths away or even closer. (Qur'an, 53:9)

The description in Surat an-Najm 9 may also describe how these two stars approach one another in their orbits. (Allah knows best.) This scientific fact, that nobody could have known at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, once again proves that the Qur'an is the word of Almighty Allah.

Some Miracles of the Qur’an Relating the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Beckham_ari) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:27:00 +0000

PULSARS: PULSATING STARS

[I swear] by Heaven and the Tariq! And what will convey to you what the Tariq is? The Star Piercing [the darkness]! (Qur'an, 86:1-3)

The word "Tariq," name of the Sura 86, comes from the root "tarq," whose basic meaning is that of striking hard enough to produce a sound, or hitting. Bearing in mind the word's possible meaning as "beating," "striking hard," our attention may be being drawn in this sura to an important scientific fact. Before analysing this information, let us look at the other words employed in the verse to describe these stars. The term "al-taariqi" in the above verse means a star that pierces the night, that pierces the darkness, born at night, piercing and moving on, beating, striking, or sharp star. Furthermore, the term "wa" draws attention to the things being sworn on-the heaven and the Tariq.

Through research carried out by Jocelyn Bell Burnell, at Cambridge University in 1967, a regular radio signal was identified. Until that time, however, it was not known that that there was a heavenly body that could be the source of regular pulse or beating rather like that of the heart. In 1967, however, astronomers stated that, as matter grows denser in the core as it revolves around its own axis, the star's magnetic field also grows stronger, and thus gives rise to a magnetic field at its poles 1 trillion times stronger than that of Earth. They realised that a body revolving so fast and with such a powerful magnetic field emits rays consisting of very powerful radio waves in a conic form at every revolution. Shortly afterwards, it was also realised that the source of these signals is the rapid revolution of neutron stars. These newly discovered neutron stars are known as "pulsars." These stars, which turn into pulsars through supernova explosions, are of the greatest mass, and are the brightest and fastest moving bodies in the universe. Some pulsars revolve 600 times a second. 1

The word "pulsar" comes from the verb to pulse. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word means to pulsate, to beat. Encarta Dictionary defines it as to beat rhythmically, to move or throb with a strong regular rhythm. Again, according to the Encarta Dictionary, the word "pulsate," which comes from the same root, means to expand and contract with a strong regular beat.

Following that discovery, it was realised that the phenomenon described in the Qur'an as "tariq," beating, bore a great similarity to the neutron stars known as pulsars.

Neutron stars form as the nuclei of super giant stars collapse. The highly compressed and dense matter, in the form of a rapidly revolving sphere, entraps and squeezes most of the star's weight and magnetic field. The powerful magnetic field created by these rapidly revolving neutron stars has been shown to cause the emission of powerful radio waves observable on Earth.

In the third verse of Surat at-Tariq the term "al-najmu al-thaaqibu," meaning piercing, moving on, or opening holes, indicates that Tariq is a bright star that pierces a hole in the darkness and moves on. The concept of the term "adraaka" in the expression "And what will convey to you what the Tariq is?" refers to comprehension. Pulsars, formed through the compression of stars several times the size of the Sun, are among those celestial bodies that are hard to comprehend. The question in the verse emphasizes how hard it is to comprehend this beating star. (Allah knows best.)

As discussed, the stars described as Tariq in the Qur'an bear a close similarity to the pulsars described in the 20th century, and may reveal to us another scientific miracle of the Qur'an.