We'll be right back.
The Qur'an refers to two important features that lead to these signs being deepened and understood.
Thinking deeply and possessing knowledge.
In many of his verses, God wills us to think about the things he has created and thus to learn from and be advised by them.
In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day,
and the ships that sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water that God sends down from the sky,
by which he brings earth to light when it was dead, and scatters about in it creatures of every kind,
and the varying direction of the winds and the clouds subservient between heaven and earth.
There are signs for people who use their intellect.
All living and non-living things have been created in a way that is designed to encourage us to ponder his superior power of creation, art, and knowledge.
Ignoring and failing to give these matters their due importance means turning one's back upon his verses,
something that all believers must avoid.
It is of great importance to constantly reflect on the proofs of God's creation
in order to acquire a greater depth of contemplation.
Verses refer to believers reflecting long and hard on the creation, for instance, of the earth and sky.
In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of night and day,
there are signs for people with intelligence.
Those who remember God, standing, sitting, and lying on their sides,
and reflect on the creation of the heavens and earth.
Our Lord, you have not created this for nothing.
Glory be to you.
So safeguard us from the punishment of the fire.
God has revealed that the signs leading to faith have a great significance for thinking people.
However, the thinking referred to here does not consist of such cliched reactions as
how splendidly God has created these, or what a magnificent animal.
We must think long and hard as well as deeply, in a wide-ranging manner,
about what God has created, so that we can identify the wisdom and detail in that creation,
and thus bear witness to his infinite knowledge, might, and artistry.
It is he who sends down water from the sky.
From it you drink, and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds.
And by it he makes crops grow for you,
and olives, and dates, and grapes, and fruit of every kind.
There is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect.
Water is a blessing that covers much of the earth.
It can almost always be found with ease.
The great majority of people have perhaps never even thought once about the water they drink every day.
They regard water, and how it meets our needs, as something that does not require any consideration.
The fact is, however,
that the physical and chemical properties of water could have been very different, had God so willed.
In addition, the atmosphere's structure, or temperature, could have been different.
If that were the case, there would be no clouds, and thus no sources of fresh water on earth.
All we would have is the salty water of the oceans, in which case humanity would not have survived,
or would have done so only in a state of great difficulty due to a constant water crisis.
Without fresh water, there would have been no agriculture,
and the world would have become a vast desert, whose only product would be famine.
Yet God gave us fresh water just about everywhere in the world.
For this, we must thank Him.
But to genuinely feel and express that gratitude,
first of all, we must realize that water is a blessing.
This, in turn, depends on thinking.
People are so familiar with the existence of water,
that they perhaps never think about the way a large part of the earth is covered in it.
Yet the fact that among all the known heavenly bodies, only the earth possesses water,
and especially the fact that this water is drinkable,
is a matter of the very greatest importance.
An example of water applies to all natural entity, living thing, and phenomena around us,
each of which is a blessing from God.
Yet in order to comprehend this, we need to ask,
what would have happened had things been different,
and make the necessary comparison?
And along with this, we must understand that God has created the most delicate balances in all things.
One of the methods to be used when thinking about the proofs God places before us
is to examine and compare entities and phenomena around us.
For example, when you cut yourself, or when an old wound opens up again,
you know that the bleeding will eventually stop.
A clot will form and solidify over the cut, and the wound will heal.
This might appear to be an unremarkable process,
but if you consider it in a little more depth,
you will realize that the clotting process is far more extraordinary than you had imagined.
Once bleeding has started,
clotting needs to happen straight away
in order to prevent the living tissue dying from loss of blood.
In addition to this,
the clot needs to extend along the entire length of the wound,
and, most importantly of all,
not to exceed the bounds of the cut.
Otherwise, all the creature's blood will coagulate and kill it.
Therefore, blood clotting must be kept under strict control,
and the clot must form in exactly the right place,
and at exactly the right time.
What would happen if there were the slightest impairment
in this perfectly functioning system?
What would happen if blood clotting happened even in the absence of any wound?
Or if the clot forming around the wound were easily detached from it?
There is only one answer to these questions.
In that event,
the blood vessels leading to such vital organs
as the heart, lung, or brain would become blocked,
and death would be the inevitable result.
However,
apart from serious cases of ill health,
these events are occurrences
that are quite rare,
and almost everyone is able to enjoy a healthy life.
We must therefore conclude from this
that the human body has been flawlessly created.
This system,
every detail of which is the product of a separate plan and calculation,
reveals the perfection of creation.
God,
who created us and brought us into this world,
has created our bodies with a perfect system
that protects us from wounds,
both great and small.
Let us now continue with another example requiring thought and comparison.
Just about everybody knows
that flies beat their wings faster than the eye can see.
Some small species of fly
are able to beat their wings
1,000 times a second.
Where does the fly obtain the energy necessary
for such awe-inspiring motion,
and how does it cope with the heat
that such motion gives rise to?
In order to comprehend
the extraordinary nature of this,
please open your arms out wide
and try raising and lowering them
a few times in one second.
You will see
that you will be unable
to perform this action
after a short length of time.
Now try and imagine
the pain you would feel
if you raised and lowered your arms
1,000 times.
This will better enable us
to understand
the miraculous nature
of the motion
that the fly performs
throughout its life.
This small example is sufficient to show
that there is an extraordinary creation
in all living things.
Even a single fly is a miracle,
revealing the flawlessness
of God's creation.
In the Quran,
God calls upon us
to reflect on this fact.
Oh, humanity,
an example has been made,
so listen to it carefully.
Those whom you call upon
besides God
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
from them,
they cannot get it back.
How feeble are both
the seeker and the sought.
Another astonishing example
in comparison
with modern-day technology
is the water-carrying system
in trees.
Most people are unaware
that a motor is necessary
to raise water up
to higher levels.
Pressure tanks,
for example,
are used to raise water
to the upper stories
of city buildings.
Trees also have to raise
the water they obtain
from the soil
up to their highest levels.
So how is it
that water can be raised
as much as 120 meters
in some trees,
as is the case
with giant sequoias?
Scientists proposed
various theories
as to how this process
takes place.
The mechanisms
proposed by those theories
that could be proven
by experiments
are to a large extent
regarded as valid.
The conclusion drawn
by scientists
as a result
of all this endeavor
is the flawless nature
of the pressure tank
system in trees.
This incomparable
water-pumping system
in tree trunks
is just one of the proofs
revealing to us
the omniscience
of its creator.
It is God
who has created
this water-carrying system
in trees,
as he has everything else
in the universe.
birds expend large amounts
of energy in order to fly.
They therefore require much more fuel
and large quantities of oxygen
with which to burn that fuel
than all land or sea-dwelling creatures.
Some migratory birds fly at very high altitudes.
Geese, for example,
can fly at 8,000 meters,
bearing in mind the fact that even at 5,000 meters,
the atmosphere is 63% more dense
than that of sea level,
one can better comprehend
the extraordinary nature
of the altitudes achieved by geese.
That is because a bird flying
in such a rarefied atmosphere
has to beat its wings very fast
and consume considerable quantities of oxygen.
Yet there is much less oxygen there
than at sea level.
So how is it
that the birds are able to fly
under such difficult conditions?
Birds' lungs have been created
so as to make the most effective use of oxygen.
The lungs,
which function in a very different way
to those of mammals,
allow birds to obtain
more than normal levels of energy from the air.
This matchless structure of the avian lung
demonstrates the existence
of a most perfect creation
intended to meet the need
for high levels of oxygen
essential for flight.
It is clear that the avian lung
is just one of the proofs
that God has created living things.
The second feature required
in acquiring a deeper appreciation
and understanding of the signs
leading to faith
is possessing knowledge.
But in order to see a subject
as a sign leading to faith,
there is no need to know
its most striking aspects
or to have wide and detailed information about it.
Rational people,
looking around themselves,
immediately realize
the extraordinary nature
of what they see
and that everything has a creator.
When they see an insect,
such as a dragonfly,
they know that it has a creator.
the mere existence of a living thing
is enough to understand
that it is a sign of God's creation.
Thinking about the detailed information
one can gather about that creature
is a means whereby faith and enthusiasm
can be increased.
In the present day,
thanks to such branches of science
as medicine, biology, and astronomy,
the miracles and beauties
of God's creation
can be perceived more clearly
and in greater detail.
People who learn these facts
and evaluate the wisdom and beauty
created by God
become greatly more in awe
of His infinite might.
Both a small child
with very limited information
and a superbly educated professor
who has spent years studying
can both see and witness God's signs
when they approach the matter
with sincerity
and an unbiased view.
However,
in order for people
to think deeply
about those entities
that they cannot see,
they require wide-ranging information.
With regard to what they can see,
they need to learn about them
in order to deepen
their consideration.
Otherwise,
their consideration
will remain with fixed bounds
and may at times
be superficial.
Otherwise,
their consideration
will remain within fixed bounds
and may at times
be superficial.
For example,
those who have no knowledge
of the systems in space
but who nevertheless
look up at the sky
and ponder them
will inevitably have different thoughts
than those
who have a deep knowledge
of astronomy.
Similarly,
the way in which someone
with a broad knowledge
of the human body's physiology
and anatomy
comprehends the fine detail,
miracles,
and marvels
apparent in humanity's creation
will be deeper and broader
than that of someone
with no knowledge
of the subject.
Indeed,
God informs us
that from the point of view
of reasoning
and comprehension,
those with knowledge
are superior
to those who have no knowledge.
Such metaphors,
we devise them
for humanity
but only those with knowledge
understand them.
Among his signs
is the creation
of the heavens
and earth
and the variety
of your languages
and colors.
There are certainly signs
in that
for those who know.
What about the one
who spends the night hours
in prayer,
prostrating
and standing up,
mindful of the hereafter,
hoping for the mercy
of his Lord?
Say,
are they the same,
those who know
and those who do not know?
It is only people
of intelligence
who pay heed.
to the truth.
However,
we need to recall
that information
unaccompanied
by the intellect,
conscience
and foresight
necessary to interpret it
does not lead
a person to the truth.
The detailed knowledge
possessed
by a sincere,
unbiased person
is important
in his or her quest
to know God better
and to draw closer
to Him.
Thus,
today's advances
in science
and technology
help us see
and witness
the knowledge,
wisdom,
artistry
and fine detail
in God's creation
from a much closer
observation point.
Let us give an example.
Anyone who thinks
about the honeybee
a little
will realize
that what this tiny creature
does
and the honey
God places
at our disposal
by means of it
are a great blessing.
The information obtained
as a result of research
in this area
will enable
the might
and omniscience
of God
to be understood.
40,000 bees
have to visit
6 million flowers
to produce
1 kilo
of honey.
The fastest computers
in the world
can perform
16 billion mathematical calculations
a second.
The honeybee,
on the other hand,
can perform
10 trillion calculations
in that same time frame
while also expending
less energy.
The brain of the honeybee,
which consumes
less than 10 microwatts,
is 100 million times superior
to the most efficient computers
produced in the present day.
Honeybees are able
to collect the nectar
from 100 million flowers
to fill a comb
and are able
to beat their wings
for 100,000 kilometers.
In order for a colony of bees
to produce
1 kilo of honey,
they need to fly
the equivalent
of 6 times
around the Earth.
A bee in flight
needs half a milligram
of honey,
1,000 of a gram,
for energy
every kilometer.
On 1 kilo of honey,
a bee could fly
3 million kilometers
at 25 kilometers an hour
while beating its wings
between 200
and 250 times a second.
The weight of the eggs
laid by the queen bee
in the course
of a single day
can be as much
as 20 times
her own weight.
A bee
can pull a load
of 330 times
its own body weight.
Every honeycomb cell
is 12 millimeters deep.
The walls of the comb
are as little
as 1 20th of a millimeter thick.
Yet the comb
suffers no harm
when it is filled
with honey
since its cells
are built
to a hexagonal structure
that confers
on it maximum resistance.
Several kilograms
of honey
can thus be stored
in safety
in a slice of a comb.
Every rational person
of good conscience
can draw
the following conclusion
from even
this limited information.
God has created
honeybees
together with
their exceptional abilities
as he has
all other living things
and he has placed them
at the service
of human beings
by giving them
the ability
to produce more honey
than they need.
God has infinite affection
and compassion
for his servants.
He is the sole lord
of everything
in the earth
and sky
and of all living things.
Every kind of property
possessed by living things
is a manifestation
on earth
of his infinite knowledge
and might.
In the Quran
God invites us
to reflect on this
by drawing our attention
to the honeybee.
Your lord revealed
to the bees
build dwellings
in the mountains
and the trees
and also
in the structures
which men erect.
Then eat
from every kind
of fruit
and travel
the paths
of your lord
which have been
made easy
for you
to follow.
From inside them
comes a drink
of varying colors
containing healing
for humanity.
There is certainly
a sign in that
for people
who reflect.
these visible
and invisible
manifestations
around us
are all vital signs
of faith
for those who search
with reason
and good conscience.
An ant
walking in a garden
a flower
on a table
a cat
in a street
or in a house
a dog
or a bird
our bodies
the order
in the earth
and the sky
rain
the atmosphere
that both surrounds us
and protects us
from harmful rays
and objects
from outer space
and an infinite number
of other things
all of these
are signs
that lead to faith
for people
who seek
to know God.
All believers
are responsible
for using
God's verses
to understand
whatever they see
and hear
and to think
deeply about them.
Every unbiased person
is aware of this.
Believers also know
that they will be unable
to account
for their behavior
if they live
among the millions
of living things
created by God
that exist
between earth
and the boundless heavens
and yet fail
to think about them.
Imagine that you have
set out on a journey
inside your own body.
Unbelievable surprises
await you.
You will see,
for instance,
that there is a generator
in your heart
and that if that generator
ceases working
there is a spare one
to replace it.
You will witness
that the cells
in your small intestine
are able to recognize
and catch iron atoms
from among the hundreds
of different substances
that pass in front of them.
You will also see
how the hormone molecule
produced in a hormonal gland
in the head region
reaches its far distant objective.
during the course
of this tour
of your body
you will witness
miraculous events
that take place
at every point
and interval.
Looked at
from this perspective
the human body
is like a city
or a world
unto itself.
Inside that city
there are means
of transport
buildings
factories
infrastructure systems
apparatus
equipped with
a technology
far superior
to the most advanced
human technology
expert personnel
displaying an
unexpected consciousness
fully equipped troops
and much else
beside.
Furthermore
this world
does not exist
in your body alone.
Everyone you see
around you
your mother
father
brother
or sister
friends
people in the street
actors you watch
on television
in short
everyone alive
on this earth
and even everyone
who has ever lived
since the creation
of the first human being
possesses
this same
flawless world.
One needs to reflect
in a very sincere manner
in order to become
acquainted with this world
and become aware
of the proofs
of flawless creation
within it.
The five senses
are arranged entirely
according to the human need.
For instance
the ear
can only sense
those sound vibrations
that are within
certain limits.
at first glance
to hear
within a larger range
might seem
more advantageous
yet these sensory limits
called
the hearing threshold
are regulated
for a purpose.
If we possessed
very sensitive hearing
then we might even hear
the noise
made by an ant
as it walks along.
Then
life really would be
very irritating for us.
The same delicate balance
holds true also
for the sense of touch.
The nerves
sensitive to touch
lying under the human skin
are made sensitive
in the best possible way
and are spread
all over the body.
The nerves
are amassed
mainly
on our fingertips.
Comparatively
less important
regions of the body
such as our backs
have fewer nerves.
This provides
great advantages
for man.
Let us imagine
if the contrary
was the case
that our fingertips
were extremely
insensitive
and that the majority
of nerves
were collected
on our backs.
There is no doubt
that this would be
very troublesome.
Development of the organs
is an example
of this delicate balance.
For instance
think about hair
and the eyelashes.
Although both
are ultimately hair
they do not grow equally
in the same period.
Suppose that eyelashes
grew as fast
as our hair.
They would impede
our sight
and go into our eyes
thus harming
one of our most
vital organs.
Eyelashes have
a certain length
that stays constant.
If by any means
such as burning
or an accident
they shorten
then they elongate
until they reach
their ideal length
and stop again.
Even the shape
of the lashes
is very important.
Since they curl
slightly upwards
they do not
restrict sight
and they give
the eyes
an aesthetic look.
As the lashes
grow
they are covered
by an unusual oil
secreted by
specific glands
located at the rim
of the eyelids.
This is why
our lashes
are not rough
and straight
like a brush.
this measured creation
is strikingly revealed
in the newborn baby
as well as
in adolescence.
For instance
the newborn baby's
skull bones
are very soft
and can
to a limited extent
move over
one another.
this flexibility
facilitates
the emergence
of the baby's head
from the womb
without harm.
If these skull bones
were inflexible
during birth
they could crack
and cause
serious damage
to the baby's brain.
with the same
flawlessness
all of the organs
in a human being
develop in harmony
with each other
in the course of development.
For example
in the development
of the head
the skull
that encases
the brain
grows along with it.
a skull
developing
comparatively slower
than the brain
would compress it
and cause death
in a short time.
The same balance
is also true
for other organs
such as the heart
lungs
and thorax
the eye
and eye socket.
For this reason
it is useful
to examine
the extraordinary
structures
of our body
to see the art
and might
in the creation.
Every part
of our body
the structures
of which
is more perfect
than the most advanced
factories equipped
with the latest
technologies
displays the matchless
creation of God
and proves
his sovereignty
over our entire body.
Let us cite another
very important example
for our lives.
Speech
is an effortless function
of most human beings.
man never plans
how far apart
the vocal cords
should be
how often
they should vibrate
in which sequence
how often
and which
of the hundreds
of muscles
in the mouth
tongue
and throat
should be contracted
and relaxed.
Nor does he calculate
how many cubic centimeters
of air
should be inhaled
into the lungs
and how fast
and at which frequency
this air
should be exhaled.
We could not do this
even if we wanted to.
Even a single word
uttered from the mouth
is an outcome
of the collective working
of many systems
stretching
from man's
respiratory system
to the nervous system
from the muscles
to the bone.
What happens
in case of a problem
in this coordination?
Different expressions
might appear
on our faces
when we want to smile
or we might not manage
to talk
or walk
when we want to.
However,
we can smile,
talk,
walk anytime we want
and no problems occur
because everything
mentioned here
is accomplished
as a result
of the fact of creation
which logically requires
infinite intelligence
and power.
For this reason
man should always remember
that he owes his being
and life
to his creator,
God.
There is nothing
for man to be arrogant
or boastful about.
His health,
beauty,
or strength
is not his own work
and it is not given
to him eternally.
He certainly
will become old
and lose his health
and beauty.
In the Quran,
this is stated as,
anything you have been given
is only the enjoyment
of the life of this world
and its finery.
What is with God
is better
and longer lasting,
so will you not use
your intellect?
If a person wants
to attain attributes
far superior to these
eternally
in the hereafter,
he must be grateful
to God
for the favors
he has bestowed upon him
and live his life
according to his commands.
As seen in these examples,
all the organs
and systems
in the human body
bear miraculous characteristics.
When these characteristics
are examined,
man will see
on what delicate balances
his existence depends
and the miracles
in his creation
and will come to grasp
once more
the great art of God
as exemplified in man.
In the Quran,
God commands us
to reflect on the signs
leading to faith.
For that reason,
thinking about these signs
that encompass the universe
is a constant
religious observance
for believers.
Thanks to signs
leading to faith,
believers must better
comprehend
the names of God
and the superior nature
of these
and must seek
to draw closer
to him.
As a result
of their deep reflection,
they see the infinite nature
of God's knowledge
and might
and their fear
of him thus grows
many times over.
They spend
their every moment
in this world
with the desire
and longing
to attain
the approval,
compassion
and paradise
of God.
Those who fear
hell
and hope
for paradise
must work
to attain
our Lord's mercy,
friendship
and love
by coming
to know him better.
To that end,
they must acquire
a greater knowledge
and understanding
of his names
by pondering deeply
on the signs
leading to faith.
In addition,
they must explain
these signs
to others
and become a means
whereby
they increase
their faith.
this responsibility
is incumbent
upon all believer.