The Secret World of DNA

The Secret World of DNA

The DNA, which is found in the nucleus of each of the 100 trillion cells in our body, contains the complete construction plan of the human body. It is evident that such a complex molecule could not be formed by coincience spontaneously, as a result of an evolutionary process.

In the manufacture or management of a technological product or plant, the greatest tool employed is the experience and accumulation of knowledge that man has acquired over many centuries. The necessary knowledge and experience needed for the construction of the human body, the most advanced and sophisticated 'plant' on earth, is stored in DNA. The important point to note here is that DNA has always existed since the first human being in all its present perfection and complexity. As you read the lines below, you will also come to see clearly how unreasonable it is to claim, as evolutionists do, that such a molecule, with all its mind-blowing structure and properties, originated as a result of coincidences.

DNA is delicately protected in the nucleus located in the center of the cell. When it is recalled that human cells – numbering up to 100 trillions – have an average diameter of 10 microns(A micron is 10 -6 m.), the smallness of the area in question is better understood. This miraculous molecule is a clear evidence of the perfection and extraordinary nature of God's art of creation. It is so much so that even a special branch of science has been set up to explore the secrets of this molecule, many of which still remain hidden. The name of this branch of science is "Genetics". Recognized as the science of the 21 st century, genetics is still in the phase of crawling, as far as solving the mystery of DNA is concerned, despite all the technological means at its disposal.

Life in the Nucleus

If we compare the human body to a building, the body's complete plan and project down to its minute technical detail is present in DNA, which is located in the nucleus of each cell. All the developmental phases of a human being in the mother's womb and after birth take place within the outlines of a predetermined program. This perfect order in the development of man is stated as follows in the Qur'an:

Does man reckon he will be left to go on unchecked? Was he not a drop of ejaculated sperm, then a blood-clot which He created and shaped. (Surat Al-Qiyama, 36-38)

Right at the phase of a newly fertilized egg cell in the mother's womb, all the characteristics we will bear in the future have been determined within a certain destiny and coded in our DNAs in an orderly fashion. All our characteristics, such as our height, skin colour, blood type, facial features that we will bear when we come to our thirtieth year are encoded in the nucleus of our inaugural cell thirty years nine months beforehand, starting from the moment of insemination.

The body of information in DNA does not only determine the physical properties we have mentioned above; it also controls thousands of other operations and systems running in the cell and the body. For instance, even the highness, lowness, or normality of a person's blood pressure depends on the information stored in DNA.

The Huge Encyclopedia in the Human Cell

The information stored in DNA must by no means be underestimated. Though hard to believe, in a single DNA molecule of a human being, there is enough information to fill exactly one million encyclopedia pages. Do consider it; exactly 1,000,000 encyclopedia pages… This is to say that the nucleus of each cell contains so much information as to fill a one-million-page-encyclopedia, which is used to control the functions of the human body. To draw an analogy, we can state that even the 23-volume-Encyclopedia Britannica, one of the greatest encyclopedias of the world, has 25,000 pages. Therefore, before us lies an incredible picture. In a molecule found in a nucleus, which is far smaller than the microscopic cell wherein it is located, there exists a data warehouse 40 times bigger than the biggest encyclopedia of the world that includes millions of items of information. This means a 920-volume huge encyclopedia which is unique and has no equal in the world. Research puts it that this huge encyclopedia would be estimated to contain 5 billion different pieces of information. Were one piece of information present in human genes to be read every second, non-stop, around the clock, it would take 100 years before the process was completed. If we imagine that the information in DNA were put in the form of a book, then, these books put on top of each other would reach 70 meters high.

Let us repeat these two words just mentioned above; 'contain information'…

We should stop here and consider these two words which we pronounce so simply. It is simple to say that a cell contains billions of pieces of information. Yet, this is far away from being a detail that can be casually dropped as a remark. This is because what we talk about here is not a computer or a library, but just a cube that is 100 times smaller than a millimeter, simply made up of protein, fat and water molecules. It is an extremely amazing miracle for this infinitesimal piece of flesh to contain and store even a single bit of information-let alone millions of it.

The information necessary to specify the design of all the species of organisms which have ever existed on the planet, a number of approximately one thousand million, could be held in a teaspoon and there would still be room left for all the information in every book ever written.

In the modern era, people use computers to store information. The computer technology is today considered as the most advanced technology that paves the way to all other technologies. A body of information, which, 20 years ago, could be stored in a computer the size of a room, can today be stored in small "microchips", yet even the latest technology invented by human intelligence after centuries of accumulated knowledge and years of hard work is far from reaching the information storage capacity of a single cell nucleus. We think that the following comparison would be sufficient to give a sense of the smallness of DNA, which has such an immense capacity:

The cell resembles a big factory which contains conveyor systems, information storing centers, special compartments where chemical processes are made, energy generating power stations, and packaging centers. The only difference between the cell and such a factory is the cell's microscopic size.

The information necessary to specify the design of all the species of organisms which have ever existed on the planet, a number according to G.G. Simpson of approximately one thousand million, could be held in a teaspoon and there would still be room left for all the information in every book ever written. 1

How can a chain invisible to the eye, made up of atoms arranged sideways, with a diameter the size of a billionth of a millimeter, possess such an information capacity and memory? And also add the following to this question: While each one of the 100 trillion cells in your body knows one million pages of information by heart, how many encyclopedia pages can you, as an intelligent and conscious human being, memorize in your entire life?

The Wisdom in the Cell

In this case, you must admit that any cell in your stomach or ear is much more learned than you, and since it makes use of this information in the most correct and perfect way, it is much more wise than you.

What, then, is the source of this wisdom? How come every one of the 100 trillion cells in your body has come to possess such an incredible wisdom? These are, after all, piles of atoms, and they are unconscious. Take the atoms of all the elements, combine them in different forms and numbers, obtain different molecules, still you can never obtain wisdom. Whether these molecules are big or small, simple or complex does not matter. You can never obtain a mind that will consciously organize any process and accomplish it.

Then how can it be that DNA, which is composed of the arrangement of a certain number of unwise and unconscious atoms in certain sequences, and enzymes, working in a harmonious way, is able to achieve much work and organise countless complicated and diverse operations in the cell in a perfect and complete manner? The answer to this is very simple; wisdom is not in these molecules or in the cell that contains them, but in the self who has brought these molecules into being, programming them to function as they do.

Shortly put, wisdom is present not in the work done, but in the creator of that work. Even the most developed computer is the product of a wisdom and intellect that has written and installed the programs to operate it, and then used it. Likewise, the cell, DNA and RNAs in it, and the human being made up of these cells are nothing but the works of the One Who created them as well as what they do. No matter how perfect, complete and striking the work is, the wisdom always lies with the owner of the work.

One day, if you found a diskette on the table in the computer laboratory, and after looking inside, discovered that it contains billions of items of information about you, the first question that would come to your mind would be who has written these pieces of information and why.

So, why don't we ask the same question for the cell? If the information in the diskette was written by someone, then by whom DNA, which has a much more superior and advanced technology, is designed in the most perfect manner, created, and placed in the tiny cell, which, by itself, is another miracle. Besides it has not lost any of its properties for thousands of years until our day. (Bear in mind that the brain of the human being who makes the diskette and saves the data in it, is also made up of these cells.) What can be more important for you than to question by whom and why these cells, that function non-stop for you to read these lines, see, breathe, think, in brief, to exist and continue to exist, have been brought into being?

Is not the answer to this question that which, in life, you must wonder about most?

A Few More Examples

It is a well-known method: the travellers, who get stuck in an isolated land as a result of a plane crash, draw a big 'X' to show their places to the rescue team that looks for them from the air. Using their belongings or the objects they have collected, they make a big cross-shaped sign. In this way the rescue team that sets out on reconnaissance from the air, sees this sign which is a 'product of wisdom' and understands that there are conscious living beings, that is, human beings in that place.

While travelling along on Turkish highways, you sometimes see inscriptions made of white stones on the slopes of the hills like; 'Everything is for the motherland'. How these writings have come to form on those hills is quite clear. In most cases, there is a military unit around and they write such inscriptions with white stones on the hill while clearing the zone.

The complex structure of a living cell was unknown in Darwin's day and at the time, ascribing life to "coincidences and natural conditions" was thought by evolutionist to be convincing enough. However, the probability of the formation of a cell by chance is as unlikely as the chance printing of a book caused by an explosion in a printing house. This means that it is not possible for the cell to come into being by coincidence and therefore, it definitely should have been "created".

Well, can anybody come up and say that these inscriptions are not written by a conscious mind, in this case the soldiers, and instead formed by coincidence? Can anybody say that 'these stones came side by side by chance while rolling down the hill and formed the sentence 'Everything is for the motherland'"?

Or if a 'scientist' comes up and says 'there are trillions of stones in the world and they have been rolling over for millions of years, so it is possible that some of these stones came together by coincidence as to make this meaningful sentence', would he not be ridiculed even by children? In addition to this, if he uses a scientific style, makes some scientific explanations, and puts forward some probability calculations, would everybody not further doubt about his mind?

The main idea we would like to give with these examples is this: If there is even the slightest sign of something planned somewhere, there certainly lies the traces of an owner of wisdom in that place. No product of wisdom would form by chance. If you roll white stones down the mountain billions of times, you would never obtain even a proper 'H', let alone a sentence such as "Everything is for the motherland". If there is a letter somewhere, everybody accepts that that letter is written by somebody. There would be no letter without a writer.

The human body is trillions of times more complicated than the sentence 'Everything is for the motherland', and it is definitely impossible for this complex structure to have been formed on its own, or by sheer "coincidence". Therefore, there is a Creator Who has planned and designed both the human and his cell and his DNA excellently and perfectly. To claim the contrary would be the most unwise thing possible, and moreover a greatest insincerity and insolence. This would be a great disrespect against the owner of that wisdom and power.

Nevertheless, many people, who would readily say that it is impossible for stones to be arranged within themselves and form even three little words, can listen without objection the deceit that it was all as a result of "coincidences" that billions of atoms came together one by one in a planned sequence and formed a molecule such as DNA, which performs such a super-complex task. This is just like a hypnotized person's submitting to the hypnotist and accepting by suggestion that he is a door, tree or a lizard…

THE MIRACLE IN THE ATOM

The Miracle In The Atom

Why ?

Once the answer is found, this question is the key to a gate that leads one to a completely different world. It is, at the same time, a slim line that separates those who know from those who don't.

In the world in which we live, mankind is caught up in a continuous search for the answers to many questions like "what?", "how?" and "in what way?", and can make but little headway in answering them. It is unlikely for man to make his way to the truth unless he asks himself the question "why?" about the extraordinary order and balance with which he interacts.

In this book, we will deal with the subject of "the atom", the groundwork of every animate and inanimate thing. After seeing what occurs and in what way it occurs with regards to the atom, we will seek the answers to the question "why?" The answer to this question will take us to the truth we pursue.

Since the first half of the 19th century, hundreds of scientists worked day and night to reveal the secrets of the atom. These studies that uncovered the form, motion, structure and other properties of the atom shattered the very grounds of classical physics that assumed matter to be an entity without any beginning or end, and laid the foundation for modern physics. They also produced many questions.

Many physicists, looking for answers to these questions, finally agreed that there is perfect order, unerring balance and conscious design in the atom, as in everything else in the universe.

This truth is revealed in the Qur'an sent down by Allah fourteen centuries ago. As made clear in the verses of the Qur'an, the whole universe works in perfect order because the earth, the sky and everything in between is created by Allah, Who has infinite power and wisdom.

It is certainly no wonder that everything created by Allah has extraordinary excellence and runs within a flawless order. What comes as a real surprise is man's unrelenting insensitivity towards the numerous miracles he encounters, sees, hears, and knows – including his own body – and his negligence about the reason "why" these extraordinary details are presented to him.

Though dwelling on a scientific subject, the purpose of "The Miracle in the Atom" is different from that of conventional scientific books. This book deals with the "atom", unique in being the building block of both animate and inanimate objects, with the questions "what?", "how?" and "in what way?", thereby opening the door to the answer of the question "why?" Once beyond this door, the superiority of the wisdom and knowledge of Allah, and His creation will be revealed for all to see:

Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth and their preservation does not tire Him. (Surat al-Baqara: 255)

With your body made up of atoms, you are breathing atoms in the air, eating atoms in food and drinking atoms of water. What you see is nothing other than the collision of electrons of the atoms in your eye with photons. And what about what you feel by touch? The sensations are simply formed by atoms in your skin repelling atoms of objects.

Indeed, almost everyone knows today that his body, the universe, the world, in short, everything consists of atoms. Yet, perhaps, most people so far never thought about what kind of a system the entity we call the atom has. Or, even if they did, they did not feel the need to investigate it, because they always thought this concerns physicists alone.

Man, however, lives entwined within this perfect system throughout his life. This is such a system that every one of the trillions of atoms forming the armchair on which we sit has an order about which a book could be written. It takes pages to tell the formation, the system and the power of a single atom. As the technology advances and our knowledge of the universe increases, these pages also increase.

How then did this order form? It cannot be that the particles scattered around after the Big Bang have formed the atom with a sudden decision, and then an appropriate environment was formed by chance, and these atoms have transformed into matter. It is certainly impossible to explain such a system by "chance". Everything you see around you, and even the air you cannot see, consist of atoms, and there is a very complex traffic between these atoms.

Who then can direct the traffic between the atoms? Can it be you? If you think that your body consists of atoms alone, then which one of your atoms directs which, and which atom directs what? Do the atoms of your brain that are no different from other atoms control the others? If we assume that the atoms of your brain are directors, then we have to answer these questions:

* If all atoms forming the brain are directors, how and based on what do they make their decisions?

* How do trillions of atoms forming the brain cooperate?

* Why does not a single atom out of trillions of them oppose the decision that is taken?

* How do the atoms communicate with each other?

Considering the above questions, it is obviously an illogical deduction to say that all of the trillions of atoms forming the brain are directors.

So, can it be correct to think that only one of these trillions of atoms is the director and the others are its followers? If we believe a single atom to be the director, then the questions that come to the mind are:

* Which atom is the director and who elected this atom?

* Where in the brain is this atom?

* What is the difference of this atom from the others?

* Why do the other atoms obey this atom unconditionally?

Before answering these questions, let us state one more thing: the supposed director atom is also made up of other particles. Why and under what pretext do these particles come together to form this director atom? Who controls these particles? Since there is another will directing these particles, how right would it be to defend that this atom is the director?

At this point, the claim that one of the atoms forming our brain may be the director atom is inevitably disproved. How do the countless number of atoms in the universe continue their existence in full harmony, while people, animals, plants, earth, air, water, objects, planets, space, and everything else are made of atoms? Which one of these countless atoms can be the director when it itself is made up of many sub-particles? To make such a claim or to attribute everything to chance and to deny the being of Allah, Who created all the worlds, is only "rejecting those signs in iniquity and arrogance in spite of their own certainty about them." (Surat an-Naml: 14)

Just think: a human being, who is made up of the arrangement of atoms in various combinations, is born, is fed with atoms and grows up with atoms. He then reads books made of atoms in a building made of atoms. Later, he receives a diploma composed of atoms that says "nuclear engineer" on it. Yet, he can still come and deliver speeches such as "these atoms have come together as a result of sheer coincidence, and the extraordinary system within them has formed by chance". If this is so, where does he derive the consciousness, will and intelligence to deliver this speech?

In almost every page of this book, we saw repeatedly that it is impossible for the atom making up every animate or inanimate thing in the universe, to be itself formed by chance. What we will say to those who, despite all we have told, still think that this phenomenon has come about by "chance" or taken its present form through the mechanism of "trial and error" will be no different from what the prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said to the disbelievers:

What about the one who argued with Ibrahim about his Lord, on the basis that Allah had given him sovereignty? Ibrahim said, 'My Lord is He who gives life and causes to die.' He said, 'I too give life and cause to die.' Ibrahim said, 'Allah makes the sun come from the East. Make it come from the West.' And the disbeliever was dumbfounded. Allah does not guide wrongdoing people. (Surat al-Baqara: 258)

They said 'Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'(Surat al-Baqara: 32)

THE MIRACLE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

THE MIRACLE OF THE
IMMUNE SYSTEM

One of the most important factors for the continued existence of any country is its defence capability. As a nation, it must be in a constant state of preparedness to face all kinds of threats and dangers from external and internal sources. No matter how well developed and advanced a country may be, if it fails to defend itself, it could be brought to ruin with the launching of even a minor military offensive against it, or even a well-directed and unanticipated terrorist act. In the face of such threats, neither its natural resources, its technological prowess, not its economy will be of any avail. If the country in question is unable to defend itself, it may even cease to exist.

This is one of the reasons why significant amounts of the national income is regularly allocated to defence; nowadays, armed forces have to be provided with the most advanced weaponry, tools and equipment fitted with the latest technological features, and meticulous training has to be given to soldiers in an all-out attempt to keep defence systems fully functional.

No less than countries, people too have to be concerned about their defence, if they want to lead a healthy and peaceful life. They inevitably have to protect themselves and their possession against criminal acts, such as theft and murder, as well as against natural disasters, such as accidents, fire, earthquakes and floods.

But this is not the end of the matter. Human beings have other enemies, which go unseen by them and, as such, are often ignored. Actually, these enemies are much more resilient than the others. Serious measures must, therefore, be taken to guard against them.

Who, or what then these enemies that keep human beings under constant threat?

They are bacteria, viruses, and similar microscopic organisms, which may exist in the water we drink, the food we eat, the house we live in, and the office where we work. In essence, they are everywhere.

Most interestingly, in spite of being surrounded by such a serious threat, we make no effort whatsoever to protect ourselves against it. This is because there is a mechanism within our bodies, which undertakes this task on our behalf, providing the necessary protection for us, without causing us the slightest disturbance. This is "The Defence System".

It is one of the most important and amazing systems operating within our bodies, for it undertakes one of the most vital missions of life. We may not be aware of it, but all the elements of the immune system protect our bodies just like the soldiers of a huge army. The defence cells that protect the human body against invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and similar micro-organisms, are equipped with extraordinary abilities. The patterns of intelligence, effort, and sacrifice, which these cells display during the war they wage in the body, astonish everyone who learns about them.

People in general would like to know what makes them ill, how illnesses take complete control of their bodies, what causes fever, fatigue, pain in their bones and joints, and which processes take place in their bodies throughout their illnesses.

The main purpose of this book is to explore how this system, which protects the human body just like a disciplined, organised army, has come into being and how it works.

These two points will lead us to very important conclusions. First, we shall together witness the uniqueness and the perfection in Allah's creation. Second, we shall observe what contradictions the theory of evolution, a superstitious belief having no verification whatsoever, includes within its own reasoning, and on what an unsound basis it was erected.

Before proceeding to the main topic, it will be useful to state another important point: In books on the immune system, you will often see statements such as:

"We do not yet know how this formed…"

"The reason still remains unknown…"

"Research on the topic is under way …"

"According to a theory…"

These statements are actually important confessions. These are expressions of the helplessness people experience at the outset of the 21 st century - even with all the latest technology and accumulated knowledge at their disposal - in the face of the miraculous work these tiny cells accomplish. The tasks achieved by these microorganisms include such intricate operations that the human mind can barely grasp the details of this well established system. There is obviously a secret wisdom hidden in the immune system which eludes man's understanding.

As you read this book, you will witness the superiority of this wisdom, hidden both in your cells and in other details pertaining to your body. The ultimate conclusion is that this could only be the wisdom of a supreme "Creator".

Science may one day succeed in solving all the secrets of the immune system and even produce a similar artificial system by imitating the actions of these cells. No doubt, this task will require highly educated professionals using the most sophisticated technology and instruments available, working in highly advanced laboratories. The most important point here is that the accomplishment of such a task would once again invalidate the theory of evolution, proving that such a system cannot originate by coincidence.

The likelihood of the spontaneous development of a mechanism such as the defence system currently seems too remote. As scientists unravel the secrets of this system, they are enthralled by the design they encounter. The points that are revealed lead to many other questions, which make the wisdom and consciousness in the cell all the more apparent. Therefore, it has become very clear that the defence system, like all the other systems in the body, could not have developed gradually, just by chance, as suggested by the theory of evolution.

The main purpose of this text is to introduce you to these "brave warriors" within you, while also proving to you that this mind-boggling system is a special sign of creation. In relation to this, we will see how the scenarios formulated by the theory of evolution are demolished and rendered meaningless when faced with the facts. The topic which will be particularly highlighted here, is not the biological details of the defence system, which are easily accessible in any book of biology or medicine, but the miraculous aspect of the system. We have especially avoided the unnecessary use of biological and physiological terms in order to make the contents of the book easily understandable to readers of all ages and professions.

Lastly, we want to remind you that even now, you are totally indebted to your defence system if you are able to read this book peacefully, without being infected by the microbes all around you. Had the immune system not existed in your body, you would never have been able to read this book, having left this world even before you learned reading and writing.

Before delving into the astounding details of the war of defence fought in the innermost recesses of our bodies, we must first have a general look at the defence system and its elements.

Briefly, the defence system may be defined as "an extremely disciplined, hard-working and organised army that protects the body from the clutches of external enemies." In this multi-faceted war, the main duty of the elements fighting in the front line is to prevent the enemy cells, such as bacteria or viruses, from entering the body.

Although it is not easy for the enemy organisms to enter the body, they exert themselves to the utmost to reach their ultimate goal of invading the body. When they successfully do so, after overcoming various obstacles such as the skin, and the respiratory and digestive tracts, they will find tough warriors waiting for them. These tough warriors are produced and trained in specialised centres such as the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes. These warriors are "the defence cells" referred to as the macrophages and lymphocytes.

First, various types of phagocytes, which are called the "the eater cells" will swing into action. Then the macrophages, another specific type of phagocytes, take their turn. They all destroy the enemy by engulfing it. Macrophages also perform other duties such as summoning other defence cells to the battleground, and raising the body temperature. The rise in temperature at the onset of a sickness is very important, for the afflicted the person will feel fatigued by it and need to rest, thus reserving the energy needed to fight against the enemies.

If these elements of the immune system prove insufficient against the enemies penetrating the body, then lymphocytes, the champions of the system, come into play. Lymphocytes are of two types; B cells and T cells. These are again further divided into sub groups.

The helper T cells are next in reaching the battleground after the macrophages. They may be considered the administrative agents of the system. After the helper T cells identify the enemy, they warn other cells in order to initiate a war against it.

Thus alerted, the killer T cells come into play to destroy the besieged enemy.

The B cells are the armaments factory of the human body. Following their stimulation by the helper T cells, they immediately start to produce a sort of weapon called the "antibody".

After the alarm is over, suppressor T cells stop the activity of all defence cells, and therefore prevent the war from lasting any longer than is necessary.

However, the mission of the defence army has not yet ended. The warrior cells, called the memory cells, store necessary information about the enemy in their memories and keep it for years. This will enable the immune system to mount a quick defence against the same enemy at later meetings with it.

There are many more incredible factors hidden in the details of the defence system, which we have very briefly outlined above. As mentioned before, in this book, these extraordinary events are told in an easy-to-understand way.

In this book, we explained the not so well known aspects of the army inside you, that is, your defence system. We have deliberately directed attention away from the complicated details of the extraordinary jobs the defence cells do to "how" the system operates. We searched for the answer to the question: "How can such minute cells which can be viewed only under an electron microscope produce such a complicated system as the defence system?" We delved further and examined how these cells, which make up the immune system were initially formed.

All cells of the immune system are initially normal cells, which go through different educative stages ending with a "Sufficiency Exam". Only those cells that are able to recognise enemy cells and do not conflict with other normal bodily cells are allowed to live. How and when was the first cell developed and who held the first "sufficiency exam"? Who has taught the cell what to do?

It is clearly unexpected that cells and associated organs can converse freely with each other, work in total agreement, make plans, and implement these plans efficiently. Do not forget that the topic of discussion here is numerous bodily organs and one trillion cells. It is impossible to imagine that one trillion people could be organised in such a perfect way and fulfill their duties without anything being skipped, forgotten, or confused, or any kind of chaos being caused in the mounting of such a defence, which is a supremely difficult task.

There is a definite reality, which must be accepted, and that is: Allah Who possesses endless power, knowledge and wisdom has specially created cells, as well as everything in the universe without exception, from the smallest to the biggest.

... He created all things and He has knowledge of all things. (Surat al-An'am: 101)

This self-evident fact has been revealed in this text once again for all to see.

We mentioned that the unborn child in the mother's womb completes the missing components of its own defence system with the help of the antibodies received from its mother. However, if such possibilities were not available, or if these deficiencies continued following the child's birth, it would be impossible for the baby to survive. As we have repeatedly emphasised, given that mankind and countless other life forms are in existence today, this would mean that the defence system has been present from the very outset of life in its complete and fully functional form. It simply could not have been evolved in stages. It is a total impossibility that such an intensely complex system composed of interconnected, interdependent components, cells and elements could have been formed through minute coincidences over a period of millions of years.

Any person who suggests that everything has been formed through coincidences and refuses to accept that a "Creator" has created the entire universe, despite his awareness of the functioning of one or more than one miraculous system among numerous others continuously at work in his body, is also unaware that he has been mentioned in a clearly defined character type in the Qur'an some 1,400 years ago. Allah has revealed in the Qur'an that such people are unable to comprehend even clear and open realities due to deficiencies in their perception and comprehension:

... They have hearts they do not understand with. They have eyes they do not see with. They have ears they do not hear with... (Surat al-A'raf: 179)

Allah has again revealed that these people are actually aware of this situation;

They say, 'Our hearts are covered up against what you call us to and there is a heaviness in our ears. There is a screen between us and you...' (Surat al-Fussilat: 5)

Another group of disbelievers do see the realities presented, but proceed to deliberately hide the truth of what they have seen. This is the sole reason for the countless theories relating to the theory of evolution. The moment they accept the existence and majesty of Allah, they are obliged to submit to His will, which is an extremely difficult proposition for arrogant people. The Qur'an again sheds light on the plight of such people who take up a stance of an ignorant arrogance against Allah:

They repudiated them wrongly and haughtily, in spite of their own certainty about them… (Surat an-Naml: 14)

There are those who, for the sake of denying the existence of Allah, struggle to uphold the falsehood of evolution with a variety of theories that are far from any scientific or logical basis. Such is their determination that they defend their views with extremely ridiculous examples, claiming that such a sophisticated and complex system such as the immune system has developed in stages from a single antibody.

Those scientists who have become aware of the situation they are in have started to distance themselves from evolutionary associations, realizing the shameful nature of such explanations.

Another group of scientists accept the theory of evolution, not because it is accurate and they believe in it, but because there is no other theory to support their denial of Allah's existence.

However, there is no obligation to accept and follow a certain theory. When people become curious about the creation of the universe and its contents, it will be sufficient for them to assess the self-evident truths objectively and with a free mind.

As we have continuously stressed in this book, there is not a shred of evidence based on any trials, experiments or observations that could support the claims of the theory of evolution. Scientific disciplines such as biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, palaeontology and anatomy have made it clear that the theory of evolution is an imaginary hypothesis about events which have never taken place and nor can ever take place. (See the chapter on "The Deception of Evolution").

Today, all research carried out in various branches of science, shows that all living and non-living beings on the earth and in the sky have been created by an All-Powerful and Almighty Creator Who possesses eternal wisdom, knowledge and might. To see this fact, and to understand the fictitious nature of fabricated theories, such as that of evolution, advanced technology or scientific knowledge is not necessarily required. Allah has displayed the evidence of His existence and creation for everyone who has a clear mind and conscience to see, irrespective of which historical era he lives in, be it the dark ages or the middle ages:

In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships which sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky - by which He brings the earth to life when it was dead and scatters about on 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. (Surat al-Baqara: 164)

The duty that falls to those people of understanding, who can grasp the above verse fully, is to constantly recall the obvious "fact of creation" evident in the whole universe from the cells to giant galaxies, by quoting the following words of the Qur'an;

… Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who brought them into being. I am one of those who bear witness to that. (Surat al-Anbiya': 56)

The healing Power of Koran: Between Science and Faith

The healing Power of Koran: Between Science and Faith

Introduction:

There are many cases cured every day by reciting the Koran; we cannot deny that because recovery does happen; it happened to me when I was reciting specific verses for a specific illness and the illness was cured!

Koran Healing is a critical issue which wasn’t given enough study or research, so I thought about starting this journey and asked Allah to guide me, give me the useful knowledge, show me the right and help me do it, and show me the wrong and help me avoid it. One of the most important fruits of this research, which continued for years, was that I came out with an important result: Allah had put in every verse of the Koran a healing power for a certain disease if this verse was recited for a specific number of times.

In the beginning

When we contemplate on the universe around us, we notice that every single atom is vibrating in a specific frequency, whether this atom is part of metal, water, cell, or anything else. So every thing in this universe is vibrating, this is a given scientific fact. .

The basic structure of the universe is the atom, and the basic structure of our bodies is the cell; each cell is made of billions of atoms and each atom is made of a positive nucleus and negative electrons rotating around it; because of this rotation, an electromagnetic field is generated similar to fields generated by an engine.

The atom is the basic structure in the universe and in our bodies; it is constantly vibrating which means that every thing is vibrating according to a precise system. Cells vibrate in a precise system, and any vibration around us affects our cells.

The secret that makes our brain think is an accurate program inside the brain cells; this program is inside every cell doing its task precisely; the smallest defect in its job would cause imbalance and disorder of some of the body parts; the best cure for this imbalance is to restore balance to the body. Scientists discovered that body cells are affected by various vibrations such as light waves, radio waves, sound waves etc. But what is sound?

Each cell in our body vibrates in a precise system, and the smallest change in this vibration would mean an illness of some part of the body. That's why these damaged cells should be vibrated to restore balance to them.

We know that the sound is made of waves or vibrations moving in the air in about 340m/sec. Each sound has its own frequency, and human can hear from 20 frequencies per second to 20000 frequencies per second (1). These waves spread in the air and then get received by the ear, then turn into electrical signals and move along the acoustic nerve towards the acoustic bark in the brain; the cells correspond to the waves and move into the various parts of the brain especially the frontal part; all these parts work together corresponding to the signals and translating them to a language the human understands. Thus, the brain analyses the signals and gives its orders to the various body parts to correspond to these signals.

The sound is made of mechanic vibrations that reach the ear then the brain cells which correspond to these vibrations and change their own vibration; that's why the sound is considered an effective healing power depending on the nature of the sound and its frequencies. We find the healing power in the Koran because it is the book of Allah.

From here came sound therapy; the sound is a vibration, and body cells are vibrating, then the sound influences these cells. This is what researchers discovered recently; in Washington University late in the twentieth century, scientists found that the job of a brain cell is not just to transfer information, each cell is a small computer working on collecting information, processing it, and giving orders continuously round the clock. Ellen Covey, a researcher in Washington University, says that it is the first time that we realize that the brain does not work as a big computer, but it contains a huge number of computers working in a cooperative way, there is a small computer in each cell, and these computers are affected by the vibrations around them, especially the sound (2).

Experiments show that inside each cell in the brain there is a tiny computer which Allah deposited an accurate program that directs the cell and controls its work. They also show that the sound affects the cell; this is a picture of a cell getting affected by a sound and an electromagnetic field is being formed around it.

Thus, we can say that the cells of each body part vibrate in a specific frequency, and form a complicated and coordinated system that is affected by any sound around it. So, any disease affecting any part of the body will cause a change in the vibration of this part's cells and thus causing it to deviate from the general body system affecting the whole body. This is why, when the body is exposed to a specific sound, this sound influences the vibration system of body and especially the irregular part; this part would respond to specific sounds to restore its original vibration system or, in other words, to restore its healthy condition. Scientists discovered these results recently.

What is the story of this science (the sound therapy)?

Sound therapy story:

Alfred Tomatis, a French doctor, made experiments for fifty years about the human senses and came out with the result that the hearing sense is the most important sense!! He found that the ear controls the whole body, regulates its vital operations and the balance and coordination of its movements; he also found that the ear controls the nervous system!

During his experiments, he found that the hearing nerves connect with all body muscles and this is the reason why the balance and flexibility of the body and the sight sense get affected by sounds. The inner ear is connected with all the body parts such as the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, and the intestines; this explains why sound frequencies affect the whole body (3).

In 1960, the Swiss scientist Hans Jenny found that the sound affects the various materials and reform their particulars, and that each cell of the body has its own sound and gets affected by the sounds and rearranges the material inside it (4). In 1974, the researchers Fabien Maman and Sternheimer made an astonishing discovery; they found that each part of the body has its own vibration system, subject to physics laws. A few years later, Fabien and Grimal, another researcher, discovered that sound affects cells especially cancer cells, and that certain sounds had stronger effect; the strange thing the two researchers found was that the sound that had the strongest effect on body cells is the sound of the human himself!!

The sound moves from the ear to the brain and affects the brain cells; scientists recently found that the sound has a strange healing power and an amazing effect of the brain cells which work on restoring the balance to the whole body! Reciting Koran has an astonishing effect on these cells and is capable of restoring their balance; the brain is the organ that controls the body and from it the orders comes to the rest of the body organs especially the immune system.

Fabian, a scientist and musician, put blood cells from a healthy body and exposed them to various sounds; he found that each note of the musical scale affects the electromagnetic field of the cell; when photographing this cell with Kirlian camera, he found out that the shape and value of the electromagnetic field of the cell change according to the sound frequencies and the sound type of the reader. Then he made another experiment taking a blood drop from one of the patients, and then he monitored the drop with Kirlian camera and asked the patient to make various notes. He found, after processing the pictures, that on a specific note the blood drop changes its electromagnetic field and fully vibrates responding to its owner. He thus concluded that there are specific notes that affect the body cells and make them more vital and active, even regenerates them. He came out with an important result: The human sound has a powerful and unique influence over body cells; this influence is not found in any other instrument. This researcher said literally:

"The human sound has a special spiritual ring making it the most powerful healing device (5). Fabien found that some sounds easily explode the cancerous cell, and at the same time activate the healthy cell. The sound affects human blood cells which transfer the frequencies of this sound to the whole body through the blood circulation".

A cancerous cell exploded by using sound frequencies only!! That's why reciting the Koran has a great impact on treating the most danger cancers and incurable diseases!

But is this influence limited only to cells? It became clear that sound affects everything around us. This is what Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist, proved in his experiments on water; he found that the electromagnetic field of water molecules is highly affected by the sound, and that there are specific tones that affect these molecules and make them more regular. If we remember that the human body is 70% water, then the sound the human hears affects the regularity of water molecules in the cells and the way these molecules vibrate, thus affects his healing (6). Different researchers confirm that the human sound could heal many diseases including cancer (7). Sound therapists also confirm that there are certain sounds that are more effective and have a healing power especially in increasing the immune system efficiency (8).

Water molecules shape changes when exposed to sound; thus, sound greatly affects the water we drink. If you recite the Koran on water, its characteristics would change and it would carry the Koran effect to every cell in the body causing them to heal !In the picture, we see a frozen water molecule; the electromagnetic field around this molecule changes continuously because of the sound effect.

How Koran heals?

Now, let's ask the important question: what happen inside body cells and how does sound cure? How does this sound affect the damaged cells and restore their balance? In other words, what is the mechanism of healing?

Doctors are constantly looking for means to destroy some virus; if we think about the mechanism of this virus, what moves it and makes it recognize its way to the cell? Who gave the virus the information stored within which enables it to attack the cells and multiply inside? What moves the cells against this virus to destroy it while stand helpless in front of another virus?

Viruses and germs also vibrate and are highly affected by sound vibrations especially the Koran sound; it stops them and at the same time increases the activity of the healthy cells and revives the disrupted program inside so to become ready to fight viruses and germs.

The Koran recitation is made of a group of frequencies that reach the ear then move to the brain cells and affect them through the electronic fields these frequencies generate in these cells; the cells would respond to these fields and modify their vibrations, this change in the vibration is what we fell and understand after experience and repetition.

It is the natural system that Allah gave to the brain cells, it is the natural balance system; this is what Allah told us in the holy Koran: (Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which he has made mankind: No change let there be in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the straight religion, but most of men know not) (Al-Rum, 30).

A real picture of a blood cell that was exposed to the sound and started changing the electromagnetic field around it; the sound of the Koran changes the information this cell carries and makes it more capable of fighting viruses and the defect Resulting from malignant diseases.

What are the healing verses?

Dear reader, each verse of the Koran has an amazing healing power for a specific disease; what is confirmed is that the Prophet, Allah's peace and blessing be upon him, focused on specific chapters and verses, such as reading Al-Fatiha seven times, Al-Kursi verse (verse number 255 in Al-Bakara chapter), the last two verses of Al-Bakara Chapter, and the last three chapters of the Koran.

But the whole Koran heals; you can, dear brother, read the verses that you hope to cure your illness. For example, if you feel upset, focus your reading on Al-Sharh chapter (Have We not opened your breast for you); if you have a sever headache, read: (Had We sent down this Koran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect) (Al-Hashr, 21); if you are suffering from pimples, warts, or skin problems then read: (then it is struck with a fiery whirlwind, so that it is burnt) (Al-Baqarah, 266).

If you are afraid, keep repeating Korish chapter, especially the verse: (and has made them safe from fear) (Korish, 4). A strong cure of depression is the repetition of these verses from the Holy Koran: (O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (the Koran) and a healing for the diseases in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers* Say: "In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Koran); therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass) (Yunus, 57-58).

The greatest prophet peace be upon him used to say hundreds of supplications every day, do you think he was doing it in vain? He was asking Allah to protect him from evil, including diseases. You can say the supplication that protect you from diseases every day: (I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words that are obeyed by the faithful and the immoral from all that He created, made in earth and originated from it, from all that come from heaven and ascend into it, from the seductions of the day and the night, and from the night and day visitors except those who bring good, O you most Gracious). Don’t you agree with me that this great prophetic supplication is the best protector from any disease?

Thus, dear brothers and sisters, you can find in the Koran and Sunnah a cure for any disease whether psychological or physical; it is preferred to read the verses in a loud voice so to make your body cells get affected by the sound of the Koran, and to focus on the sick part and imagine that Allah has cured it; repeat these verses and start each time with Al-Fatiha and finish with Al-Falaq and Al-Nas. You can also ask for the verses that are relevant for your disease.

O Allah, make the Koran our cure for every disease.

The Quran on Human Embryonic Development

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about the stages of man’s embryonic development:

We created man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)... (Quran, 23:12-14)Literally, the Arabic word alaqah has three meanings: (1) leech, (2) suspended thing, and (3) blood clot.

In comparing a leech to an embryo in the alaqah stage, we find similarity between the two as we can see in figure 1. Also, the embryo at this stage obtains nourishment from the blood of the mother, similar to the leech, which feeds on the blood of others.



Figure 1: Drawings illustrating the similarities in appearance between a leech and a human embryo at the alaqah stage. (Leech drawing from Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 37, modified from Integrated Principles of Zoology, Hickman and others. Embryo drawing from The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 73.)

The second meaning of the word alaqah is “suspended thing.” This is what we can see in figures 2 and 3, the suspension of the embryo, during the alaqah stage, in the womb of the mother.

Figure 2: We can see in this diagram the suspension of an embryo during the alaqah stage in the womb (uterus) of the mother. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 66.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)





Figure 3: In this photomicrograph, we can see the suspension of an embryo (marked B) during the alaqah stage (about 15 days old) in the womb of the mother. The actual size of the embryo is about 0.6 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore, 3rd ed., p. 66, from Histology, Leeson and Leeson.)

The third meaning of the word alaqah is “blood clot.” We find that the external appearance of the embryo and its sacs during the alaqah stage is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage4 (see figure 4). Also during this stage, the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week. Thus, the embryo at this stage is like a clot of blood.



Figure 4: Diagram of the primitive cardiovascular system in an embryo during the alaqah stage. The external appearance of the embryo and its sacs is similar to that of a blood clot, due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo. (The Developing Human, Moore, 5th ed., p. 65.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

So the three meanings of the word alaqah correspond accurately to the descriptions of the embryo at the alaqah stage.

The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah stage. The Arabic word mudghah means “chewed substance.” If one were to take a piece of gum and chew it in his or her mouth and then compare it with an embryo at the mudghah stage, we would conclude that the embryo at the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance. This is because of the somites at the back of the embryo that “somewhat resemble teethmarks in a chewed substance.(see figures 5 and 6).

Figure 5: Photograph of an embryo at the mudghah stage (28 days old). The embryo at this stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance, because the somites at the back of the embryo somewhat resemble teeth marks in a chewed substance. The actual size of the embryo is 4 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 82, from Professor Hideo Nishimura, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.)

Figure 6: When comparing the appearance of an embryo at the mudghah stage with a piece of gum that has been chewed, we find similarity between the two.
A) Drawing of an embryo at the mudghah stage. We can see here the somites at the back of the embryo that look like teeth marks. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 79.)
B) Photograph of a piece of gum that has been chewed.

How could Muhammad have possibly known all this 1400 years ago, when scientists have only recently discovered this using advanced equipment and powerful microscopes which did not exist at that time? Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using an improved microscope in 1677 (more than 1000 years after Muhammad ). They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature preformed human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital tract.

Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore is one of the world’s most prominent scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology and is the author of the book entitled The Developing Human, which has been translated into eight languages. This book is a scientific reference work and was chosen by a special committee in the United States as the best book authored by one person. Dr. Keith Moore is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. There, he was Associate Dean of Basic Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and for 8 years was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy. In 1984, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has directed many international associations, such as the Canadian and American Association of Anatomists and the Council of the Union of Biological Sciences.

In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Moore said: “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God.”

Consequently, Professor Moore was asked the following question: “Does this mean that you believe that the Quran is the word of God?” He replied: “I find no difficulty in accepting this.”

During one conference, Professor Moore stated: “....Because the staging of human embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah (what Muhammad said, did, or approved of). The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge. The intensive studies of the Quran and hadeeth (reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad’s companions of what he said, did, or approved of) in the last four years have revealed a system for classifying human embryos that is amazing since it was recorded in the seventh century A.D. Although Aristotle, the founder of the science of embryology, realized that chick embryos developed in stages from his studies of hen’s eggs in the fourth century B.C., he did not give any details about these stages. As far as it is known from the history of embryology, little was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason, the descriptions of the human embryo in the Quran cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only reasonable conclusion is: these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad from God. He could not have known such details because he was an illiterate man with absolutely no scientific training.”

Night Prayer and the Human Body Clock.

The sleep-wake cycle of the pineal gland becomes disrupted as we increasingly eat, socialize and sleep not questioning the psychological and physical effects of our pre-occupations. In trying to keep up with the schedules of the day it becomes increasingly difficult to switch-off the problems of the outside world we take home affecting domestic commitments.

“Surely in the daytime you have prolonged occupation” (Surat ul Muzzammil 73:7).

This implies that there is counter-balance in the night to daily preoccupations. What could be achieved in the evenings could sustain and nourish us into the day. However, we use artificial light to extend those pre-occupations. Once the daylight ends, the pineal gland goes into increased production of melatonin. By extending light artificially to levels of and above 500lux we impede its production. A darkened room with a 100watt bulb provides 100lux if we are five feet away. This doesn’t compromise the release of melatonin.

Factors Affecting Melatonin Production

Factors in our working lives can affect melatonin production. Electric utility workers based at a generation station were found to have reduced melatonin levels being exposed to electro-magnetic fields. Their colleagues in the administrative section working under 60hz of alternating current working in low light offices in the daytime also had reduced nighttime melatonin levels (Penton p.1).

Other elements also compromise the pineal gland like tranquilizers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blocking drugs, sleeping pills like benzodiazepines, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs like Ibuprofen and excessive (3mg daily) intake of Vitamin B-12 (Nedley p.6, 7).

Night-time Praying

The question of the purpose of sleep continues to haunt scientists. In vibrational medicine, one hour of sleep balances each chakra, with a minimum of three hours in total for really healthy people. For the really healthy, three hours is all that is needed by the higher chakras, which in turn balances the four lower ones (Gurudas p.60). So what do we do with the rest of the night?

“Rise for prayer in the night, except a little, Half of it or less. Or add to it – and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured, rhythmic tones” (Muzzammil 73:2-4).

Fadhlalla Haeri informs us that these verses tell us to take what we need for rest and if we rise from rest there is balance in it. “Surely rising in the night is stronger in impact, and straighter in speech (Muzzammil 73:6). He continues saying that ‘Nashiatul-layl’ is the maximum darkness during which one’s sleep is sound, the energies are low, and the field of reflection is clear and empty. This part of the night has the best results (Haeri p.12-14).

The part of our body that functions in this capacity is the pineal gland. In the Indian tradition, it is the Seat of Consciousness, the seventh energy point, the Crown Chakra. The pituitary and the pineal gland work in unison through relaxation and meditation which Rasulullah (saw) practiced much before The Revelation. Flashes of intuition occur with increased practice, raising consciousness from an emotional nature to awareness. Haeri continues, “when we go into sajdah our individual profiles are obliterated when performed meditatively. We are in Tawhid (unity) echoing the cosmic expansion” (Haeri p.38). In Indian tradition the seventh chakra spiritualizes the intellect and is associated with the personal ability to integrate with Allah (swt). Then spiritual fulfillment is able to resolve negative emotions.

The Pineal Gland

When the sun sets, the pineal gland shifts gear and produces its primary hormone melatonin in larger quantities until it peaks from 2 – 3.00a.m in the morning (Majidali p.7). It is a derivative of the amino acid trytophan, and rises and falls daily within our blood according to the circadian cycle (Ultranet p.1). This cycle sets the biological clocks, turns on the immune system and inhibits tumor promoters like estrogen (Penton p.1) Jet-lag is a disturbance in this cycle (Sleep p.7).

The center of navigation in birds and other animals, the light sensitive pineal gland produces the hormones: melatonin, epithalamin, serotonin, vasotonin and melanin. Epithalamin is related to our learning capacity and slows aging; serotonin has a strong influence on sleep, pain and well being and vasotonin is related to rapid deep sleep (Gates p.1). The hormone antigonadotropin suppresses ovulation (Medic p.8). Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and inhibits sex hormones before puberty. In addition, Jordanian scientist Samer Hattar’s recent research has discovered that a single protein cell –melanopsin- in the retina seems to detect light by which the human body’s internal clock is reset. (Hattar p.1).

Modern-day Living and Melatonin Production

Melatonin production is reduced by late-night TV viewing.

The 1995 National Sleep Foundation polls revealed that half of American adults have sleeping problems at one time or another. Habits like drinking alcohol too late, exercising before bedtime, sleeping at different times, concentrating on work before trying to sleep and shift work are contributory factors (NSF p.4). In addition, production of melatonin is reduced by excessive

exposure to artificial light, late-night T.V viewing, electromagnetic fields, chemical pollutants like pesticides and beta-blockers for heart disease, high blood pressure and headaches. Studies indicate that even the most modest exposure to extended light stresses our bodies, accelerates aging and debilitates the immune and nervous systems.

Caffeine in coffee, black tea and certain types of sodas reduce melatonin jeopardizing its natural antioxidants, which are vital to cell protection during waking hours. Yet it must be said it is the quality not the quantity of sleep that restores and rejuvenates the body.

In children, melatonin levels are 120 picograms dropping to 60 picograms at ages 20 – 30. Seen as a ‘youth drug’ store bought melatonin has reportedly caused fatigue, depression and arterial constriction (NSF p.2, 3). In England and Canada, it is considered a drug and only obtainable by prescription. The FDA has yet to remove it from US health stores.

Modest food restrictions increase the number of melatonin receptors in the body, so short-term fasting is seen as a plus increasing day-time plasma melatonin levels to night-time levels (Majidali p.2, 7, 12). One can also increase one’s melatonin levels naturally from foods like oats which contains 1,796 picograms, sweet corn at 1,366 picograms, rice at 1,006 picograms, ginger at 583 picograms and barley at 378 picograms (Gates p. 1, 2).

In vibrational medicine when the chakras are aligned and balanced there is a greater appetite for food in its natural state and greater sensitivity to the chemical environment that man has created for himself (Gurudas p.170). However, Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri reminds us, “All it takes is purification and awareness of our intentions, and then our intentions unify with our actions, then we are in tawhid (unity) with Allah (swt) and ikhlas (sincerity).”

THE DELICATE BALANCE ON EARTH

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)