THE SUN WILL EVENTUALLY EXPIRE

And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. 

(Surah Ya Sin, 38)

The Sun has been emitting heat for around 5 billion years as a result of the constant chemical reactions taking place on its surface. At a moment determined by Allah in the future, these reactions will eventually come to an end, and the Sun will lose all its energy and finally go out. In that context, the above verse may be a reference to the Sun's energy one day coming to an end. (Allah knows the truth.)

The Arabic word "limustaqarrin" in the verse refers to a particular place or time. The word "tajree" translated as "runs," bears such meanings as "to move, to act swiftly, to move about, to flow." It appears from the meanings of the words that the Sun will continue in its course in time and space, but that this motion will continue until a specific, predetermined time.  The verse "When the sun is compacted in blackness," (Surat at-Takwir, 1) which appears in descriptions of Doomsday, tells us that such a time will be coming. The specific timing is known only to Allah.

The Arabic word "taqdeeru," translated as "decree" in the verse, includes such meanings as "to appoint, to determine the destiny of something, to measure." By this expression in verse 38 of Surah Ya Sin, we are told that the life span of the Sun is limited to a specific period, one ordained by Allah. Other verses of the Qur'an on the subject read:

Allah is He Who raised up the heavens without any support – you can see that – and then established Himself firmly on the Throne. He made the Sun and Moon subservient, each running for a specified term. He directs the whole affair. He makes the Signs clear so that hopefully you will be certain about the meeting with your Lord. 

(Surat ar- Ra'd, 2)

He 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. 

(Surah Fatir, 13)

He created the heavens and the earth with truth. He wraps the night around the day and wraps the day around the night, and has made the Sun and Moon subservient, each one running for a specified term. Is He not indeed the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving? 

(Surah az-Zumar, 5)

The use of the word "musamman" in the above verses shows that the life span of the Sun will run for a "specified term." Scientific analysis regarding the end of the Sun describes it as consuming 4 million tons of matter a second, and says that the Sun will die when that fuel has all been consumed.1 The heat and light emitted from the Sun is the energy released when matter is consumed as hydrogen nuclei turn into helium in the nuclear fusion process. The Sun's energy, and therefore its life, will thus come to an end once this fuel has been used up. (Allah knows the truth.)

A report titled "The Death of the Sun" by the BBC News Science Department says:

... The Sun will gradually die. As a star's core crashes inwards, it eventually becomes hot enough to ignite another of its constituent atoms, helium. Helium atoms fuse together to form carbon. When the helium supply runs out, the centre collapses again and the atmosphere inflates. The Sun isn't massive enough to fully re-ignite its core for a third time. So it goes on expanding, shedding its atmosphere in a series of bursts... The dying core eventually forms a white dwarf - a spherical diamond the size of the Earth, made of carbon and oxygen. From this point on the Sun will gradually fade away, becoming dimmer and dimmer until its light is finally snuffed out. 2

A documentary, also called "The Death of the Sun," broadcast by National Geographic TV, provides the following description:

It (the Sun) generates heat and sustains life on our planet. But like humans, the Sun has a limited lifespan. As our star ages, it will become hotter and expand, evaporating all of our oceans and killing all life on planet Earth... The Sun will get hotter as it ages and burns fuel faster. Temperatures will increase, eventually wiping out animal life, evaporating our oceans and killing all plant life... the Sun will swell and become a red giant star, swallowing up the nearest planets. Its gravitational pull will lessen and perhaps allow Earth to escape. By the end, it will shrink into a white dwarf star, emitting a week glow for hundreds of billions of years. 3

Scientists have only recently unravelled the structure of the Sun and discovered what goes on inside it. Before that, nobody knew how the Sun obtained its energy or how it emitted heat and light. The way that such a giant mass of energy would one day consume all its energy and expire was revealed 1400 years ago in the Qur'an shows the presence of a sublime knowledge. That knowledge belongs to our Lord, Whose knowledge enfolds all things. Another verse of the Qur'an reveals:

... My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge so will you not pay heed? 

(Surat Al-An'am, 80)

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE TSUNAMI EFFECT IN THE PROPHET MOSES (PBUH)'S PARTING OF THE SEA

So We revealed to Moses, 'Strike the sea with your staff.'  And it split in two, each part like a towering cliff. (Surat Ash-Shu'ara', 63)

The Egyptian monarchs known as the pharaohs regarded themselves as divine in the polytheistic, superstitious religion of ancient Egypt. Allah sent the Prophet Moses (pbuh) as an envoy to the people of Egypt at a time when they preferred their own superstitious beliefs to the true faith and when they had enslaved the Israelites. However, despite the Prophet Moses (pbuh)'s invitation to the true faith, the ancient Egyptians and Pharaoh and his court in particular, refused to abandon their pagan beliefs. The Prophet Moses (pbuh) told Pharaoh and his court the things they ought to avoid and warned them of the wrath of Allah.  But they rebelled and falsely accused the Prophet Moses (pbuh) of madness, sorcery and mendacity. Although various tribulations were inflicted on Pharaoh and his people, they still did not submit to Allah; they refused to accept Allah as the one and only God. They even held the Prophet Moses (pbuh) responsible for what had befallen them and sought to exile him from Egypt. At this, Allah told the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and those with him to leave where they were:

We revealed to Moses: 'Travel with Our slaves by night. You will certainly be pursued.' Pharaoh sent marshals into the cities: 'These people are a small group and we find them irritating and we constitute a vigilant majority.' We expelled them from gardens and springs, from treasures and a splendid situation. So it was! And We bequeathed them to the tribe of Israel. So they pursued them towards the east. (Surat Ash-Shu'ara', 52-60)

As revealed in the Qur'an, when the two peoples came together at the end of this chase, Allah rescued the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and the believers with him by parting the sea, while destroying Pharaoh and his people. Allah's assistance to the believers is revealed as follows in the Qur'an:

So We revealed to Moses, 'Strike the sea with your staff.' And it split in two, each part like a towering cliff. And We brought the others right up to it. We rescued Moses and all those who were with him. Then We drowned the rest. There is certainly a Sign in that yet most of them are not believers. Truly your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful. (Surat Ash-Shu'ara', 63-68)

The Arabic word "idrib," translated as "strike" in verse 63 of Surat ash-Shuara, also means "to open, divide or separate." In the light of this expression and what happened subsequently, the verse may be a reference to the formation of tsunami waves. (Allah knows best.) Since tsunami waves cause large amounts of water to shift and thus give way to the emergence of earth on shallow grounds. In the time of the Prophet Moses (pbuh), as with the tsunami waves the waters might have pulled back some hundreds of meters and this might have caused the parting of the sea. (Allah knows best.)

In addition, the waters are compared to mountains in the above verse. The waters collected in a tsunami form a giant peak1 and resemble a mountain seen from below.  As with mountains, the base of the tsunami is very broad and strong. In tsunamis, the depth of the water declines while the mass of the wave expands and rises in height. Tsunamis may be up to 30m high.2 It is therefore very significant how the waters are likened to a mountain.

Tsunamis are very different to the waves we are familiar with, and are a movement of the entire depth of water. This is not generally restricted to the surface, and may stretch for several kilometers. They thus possess high levels of energy and move very fast.3 Scientific statements say this about tsunamis:

In fact the tsunami crest is just the very tip of a vast mass of water in motion...Wind-driven waves and swells are confined to a shallow layer near the ocean surface, a tsunami extends thousands of feet deep into the ocean…. Survivors of tsunami attacks describe them as dark "walls" of water. Impelled by the mass of water behind them, the waves bulldoze onto the shore and inundate the coast...

... The contours of the seafloor and coastline have a profound influence on the height of the waves -- sometimes with surprising and dangerous results. During the 1993 tsunami attack on Okushiri, Japan, the wave "run up" on the coast averaged about 15 to 20 meters (50 - 65 feet). But in one particular spot, the waves pushed into a V-shaped valley open to the sea, concentrating the water in a tighter and tighter space. In the end, the water ran up to 32 meters (90 feet) above sea level, about the height of an 8-story office building. 4

The way that the past events described in the Qur'an are in complete agreement with present-day historic evidence and scientific advances, is without doubt one of the great miracles of the Qur'an. The way the waters parted when the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and his companions needed to cross and how they closed again over the heads of Pharaoh and his army are clear instances of the way Allah assists believers. Indeed, the Prophet Moses (pbuh) displayed an excellent example of proper moral values by trusting in Allah in that most difficult moment:

And when the two hosts came into sight of one another Moses's companions said, 

'We will surely be overtaken!'  He said, 'Never! My Lord is with me and He will guide me.' 

(Surat Ash-Shu'ara', 61-62)

The force applied to the sea floor causes mountainous waves to form by causing the water to rise up vertically.

Tsunami Formation:

Stage 1—Beginning: If the tsunami acts like an earthquake, the sea floor is moved up or down. As a result the mass of water moves up or down.

Stage 2 —Separation: Within a few minutes, the tsunami that starts to form divides in two, one part moving toward the depths of the ocean, the other reaching the coast.

Stage 3—Elevation: The tsunami wave reaching the shore rises up like a huge wave when it reaches the land.

Stage 4- Wave impact: The leading wave becomes pointed and appears to rise even higher. The first part of the wave to hit the land is convex in shape, which is why the water initially seems to be pulling away from the land.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE SKIES WITH 'WOVEN' ORBITS

"By heaven furnished with paths;" 

(Surat adh-Dhariyat, 7)

The Arabic word "alhubuki," translated as "furnished with paths" in verse 7 of Surat adh-Dhariyat, comes from the verb "hubeke," meaning "to weave closely, to knit, to bind together." The use of this word in the verse is particularly wise and represents the current state of scientific knowledge in two aspects.

The first is this:

The orbits and paths in the universe are so dense and intertwined that they constitute intersecting paths, just like the threads in a piece of fabric. The Solar System we live in is made up of the Sun, the planets and their satellites and heavenly objects in constant motion such as meteors and comets.

The Solar System moves through the galaxy known as the Milky Way, which contains 400 billion stars.1 It is estimated that there are billions of galaxies. Celestial bodies and systems revolving at speeds of thousands of kilometers an hour move through space without colliding with one another.

The science of astronomy was developed with the aim of mapping the positions and courses of stars, while astro-mechanics was developed in order to determine these complex motions. Astronomers used to assume that orbits were perfectly spherical.

The fact is, however, that heavenly bodies are known to follow mathematical shapes, such as spherical, elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic orbits. Dr. Carlo Rovelli of the University of Pittsburgh says, "Our space in which we live is just this enormously complicated spin network."2

Above left; the orbits of some of the bodies in the Solar System. Based on this picture and looking clockwise, it can be seen that the Solar System itself is part of even greater orbital movements.3

The picture above shows some of the complex movements of stars.

This picture shows the approximately annual movements of just seven stars in the Milky Way.

The second aspect is that the description in the Qur'an of the sky using a word meaning "woven" may be a reference to the String Theory of physics. (Allah knows the truth.)

According to this theory, the basic elements that comprise the universe are not point-like particles, but strings resembling miniature violin strings. These tiny, identical and one dimensional strings oscillating in the form of filaments are regarded as being like loops in appearance. It is assumed that the origin of all the diversity in the universe lies in the way these strings vibrate at different vibrations, in the same way that violin strings produce different sounds with different vibrations.4

Although it is not possible to see the size of the threads in the String Theory, the only theory to bring theories such as Einstein's theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics together in a coherent way, it can still be calculated mathematically.

These strings, which scientists regard as the material from which space and time are woven, are just 1.6x10-35 m (0.000000000000000000000000000000000016 meters) in size.5

This, known as Plank's length, is the smallest known, being just 10-20 of the protons that make up the nucleus of that atom.6 If an atom were to be magnified to the size of the Solar System, each one of these strings would be no bigger than a tree.

7 Bearing in mind that an atom is 100,000 times smaller than the smallest thing that can be seen with the naked eye, the minute scale of these strings can be more easily grasped.

Professor of Physics Abhay Ashtekar from the University of Pennsylvania and Professor of Physics Jerzy Lewandowski from the University of Warsaw interpret the woven appearance of space as follows in an article titled "Space and Time Beyond Einstein":

In this theory, Einstein wove the gravitational field into the very fabric of space and time... The continuum we are all used to is only an approximation. Perhaps the simplest way to visualize these ideas is to look at a piece of fabric.

For all practical purposes, it represents a 2-dimensional continuum; yet it is really woven by 1-dimensional threads. The same is true of the fabric of space-time. It is only because the "quantum threads" which weave this fabric are tightly woven in the region of the universe we inhabit that we perceive a continuum. Upon intersection with a surface, each thread, or polymer excitation, endows it with a tiny "Plank quantum" of area of about 10-66 cm2. So an area of 100 cm2 has about 1068 such intersections; because the number is so huge, the intersections are very closely spaced and we have the illusion of a continuum.8

An Article in the New York Times seeking an answer to the question "How Was the Universe Built?" contained the following lines:

Even the tiny quarks that make up protons, neutrons and other particles are too big to feel the bumps that may exist on the Planck scale. More recently, though, physicists have suggested that quarks and everything else are made of far tinier objects: superstrings vibrating in 10 dimensions. At the Planck level, the weave of space-time would be as apparent as when the finest Egyptian cotton is viewed under a magnifying glass, exposing the warp and woof.9

In his book Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, the theoretical quantum physicist Lee Smolin devotes one chapter to "How to Weave a String" and says this on the subject:

... space may be 'woven' from a network of loops... just like a piece of cloth is 'woven' from a network of threads.10

In his book Our Cosmic Habitat the cosmologist and astrophysicist Prof. Martin Rees says:

According to our present concepts, empty space is anything but simple... and on an even tinier scale, it may be a seething tangle of strings.11

The way that Allah describes the universe as being woven paths and orbits in verse 7 of Surat adh-Dhariyat shows that the Qur'an is in extraordinary agreement with science. As can be seen in a great many other instances, the way that all the information revealed in the Qur'an 1400 years ago is confirmed by modern scientific data is highly thought provoking.

This perfect harmony between the Qur'an and scientific developments clearly reveals that the Qur'an is the word of our Lord, the creator of and He who knows best about all things. In one verse Allah states:

"Will they not ponder the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah, 

they would have found many inconsistencies in it." 

(Surat an-Nisa, 82)

The University of Pittsburgh physicist Carlo Rovelli presents a model woven like a web in order to represent the microscopic architectural structure of the universe.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

ATOMIC ENERGY AND FISSION

Allah splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from the dead, and produces the dead out of the living. That is Allah, so how are you misguided? 

(Qur'an, 6:95)

The terms "seed" (al-habb) and "kernel" (an-nawa) in the above verse may indicate the splitting of the atom. Indeed, the dictionary meanings of an-nawa include "nucleus, centre, atomic nucleus." Furthermore, the description of bringing forth the living from the dead can be interpreted as Allah creating matter from dead energy. Producing the dead out of the living may refer to energy (dead) emerging from matter (living), since the atom is in motion. (Allah knows best.) That is because as well as "living," al-hayy can also mean "active, energetic." With its meaning of "non-living," al-mayyit, translated above as "dead," may very probably refer to energy.

Scientists define energy as the capacity for doing work. Matter, the material that comprises all things on Earth and in the universe, consists of atoms and molecules that can be seen to be in motion under an electron microscope. In the early twentieth century, Albert Einstein (d. 1955) theorised that matter could be converted into energy, suggesting that the two were inter-related at the atomic level.199 This may be the bringing forth of the dead from the living, as described above, or, in other words, obtaining energy from matter, which is in motion at the atomic level. In addition, yukhriju, translated as "bringing forth," also means "bringing out, emitting" (as in the case of electrical waves). Therefore, the terms in this verse may be indicating the form of energy obtained from the atom. (Allah knows best.)

Today, atomic nucleus can be split into smaller nuclei by means of nuclear fission.

Scientists can now split the atom by dividing its nucleus. Taking Einstein's theories as their starting point, they obtained energy from matter in the 1940s by means of nuclear fission, the process of splitting the atomic nucleus. The verb faliqu in Surat al-An`am 95, translated as "to split," may be a reference to fission's dictionary meaning: the process of splitting (the atom's nucleus). When this process takes place, enormous amounts of energy are released.

The words in Surat al-An`am 95 are very wise in terms of their meanings. The phenomena described in this verse bear a very close resemblance to the splitting of the atom's nucleus in order to obtain atomic energy. The verse may therefore be a reference to nuclear fission, which was only made possible by twentieth-century technology. (Allah knows best.)

RELEVANT ENTRIES :

ARTESIAN WELLS

SMELL TRANSFERENCE

PLANE TECHNOLOGY

THE VOYAGE TO THE MOON

THE TRIBE OF ISRAEL WILL BECOME VERY HAUGHTY

THE PRESERVATION OF PHARAOH'S BODY

THE ARMY-ANT IN TECHNOLOGY

THE USE OF ELECTRICITY

IMAGE TRANSMISSION

MODERN MEANS OF TRANSPORT

THE EXPLORATION OF SPACE

THE CONQUEST OF MAKKAH

THE VICTORY OF BYZANTIUM


Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN

ARTESIAN WELLS

We divided them up into twelve tribes-communities. We revealed to Musa, when his people asked him for water: "Strike the rock with your staff." Twelve fountains flowed out from it, and all the people knew their drinking place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down manna and quails to them: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you." They did not wrong Us; rather, they wronged themselves. (Qur'an, 7:160)

A closed artesian aquifer is confined by an overlying impermeable body of rock, which prevents any water from filtering down into the aquifer. Instead, water enters the tilted aquifer layer through a recharge area, where the aquifer rock is exposed at higher elevations. The flow in an artesian aquifer resembles water flowing through a J-shaped tube. Water added on the tube’s long side provides enough pressure to drive the water upward on the tube’s shorter side.

The above verse describes how Prophet Musa's (as) people asked him for water and how he provided places where each tribe could drink. Clearly, his people were suffering from a shortage of water.

Such shortages still exist, for more than 1 billion people today lack access to clean water, and 2.4 billion still live without improved sanitation.

According to projected estimates, by 2025 about 5 billion people will not have access to sufficient amounts of water.190 Every year, some 12 million people die from water scarcity; 3 million of whom are children who die from waterborne diseases.191

Today, 31 countries, comprising 8 percent of the world's population, face chronic freshwater shortages.

By 2025, this number is expected to rise to 48 countries.192 According to UN predictions, renewable freshwater will become an even more limited resource by 2025, and the number of 131 million people experiencing water problems will rise to either 817 million (according to low population growth projections) or 1.079 billion (according to high population growth projections).193

Groundwater, the largest source of fresh water on Earth, represents more than 90 percent of the readily available freshwater reserves194 and is therefore of vital importance to meeting the water needs of up to 2 billion people.195 It constitutes the primary source of water for up to 50 percent of the American population, a figure that rises to 95 percent in rural areas.196 Groundwater is also the safest and most reliable source of fresh water. At the same time, this water can be used to produce geothermal energy and save energy by using heat pumps.

When the water sucked up from the soil meets an impermeable underground layer, it collects there and forms a water source. This water is then brought to the surface by the artesian method. Artesian springs are formed by sedimentary rocks that can store underground water.

The fact that artesian wells are drilled in rocky areas runs parallel to the description in the Qur'an. Given that Allah commanded Prophet Musa (as) to strike the rock, Surat al-A`raf 160 may be indicating this method. (Allah knows best.) The verb idrib, translated as "strike," can also mean "to raise, to open."

Thus, this verse may be describing a water source being opened by the raising of the rock. As a result, pressurized water may have emerged, as described in the verb inbajasat (to pour out, flow freely, bubble up, flow), just as happens with artesian wells. If sufficient pressure forms, water can continue to flow to the surface without the need for a pump.

Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and sends down water from the sky and by it brings forth fruits as provision for you… (Qur’an, 14:32)

It is particularly striking that current solutions for dealing with water scarcity use underground water resources. In fact, one of the most effective methods of doing so is the artesian well. In other words, we might be copying Prophet Musa's (as) example of striking or lifting the rock without even knowing it. Surat al-A`raf 160 may therefore be a reference to artesian wells, the first of which was opened in 1126 in the French region of Artois. (Allah knows best.)

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

SMELL TRANSFERENCE

He [Yusuf] said: "No blame at all will fall on you. Today you have forgiveness from Allah. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. Go with this shirt of mine and cast it on my father's face, and he will see again. Then come to me with all your families." And when the caravan went on its way, their father said: "I can smell Yusuf's scent! You probably think I have become senile." (Qur'an, 12:92-94)

Today, scientists state that teleporting atoms and scent molecules may be possible in the near future. In Surah Yusuf 94, Prophet Yusuf's (as) father says that he can smell his son's scent. Scientists also say that it will soon be possible to send scents in the same way as pictures and three-dimensional images are sent. Therefore, this verse might be a sign of an advanced technology developing from the current research into transmitting scent.

Like our other sense perceptions, smell forms in the brain. For example, a lemon peel's molecules stimulate the nose's scent receptors, which then transmit them in the form of electrical signals to the brain for analysis. Therefore, when the scent's signal is artificially formed in another form, the scent can be perceived in the same form. Indeed, the "electronic nose" is one of the research areas showing that this may well be possible in the near future.

A human being's scent perception system makes it possible for a trained nose to name and distinguish some 10,000 odours. Professionals in the perfumery business who have received special chemical training are able to sniff a scent that contains 100 different odorants and then list the ingredients.188 This superior creation in the human nose has encouraged many scientists to design similar equipment. Efforts are underway in various research and development centres to replicate this human scent perception system. The models developed on this basis are termed "the electronic nose."

The human nose's receptors are composed of proteins; those in its electronic counterpart are composed of a series of chemical receptors. Each receptor is designed to detect different odours; the more their distinguishing capacities are enhanced, the more difficult production becomes and the greater the cost. The signals collected by the sensors are turned into binary codes, by means of electronic systems, and then sent to a computer. The electronic systems can be thought of as imitating the nerve cells responsible for scent detection, and the computer as the brain. The computer is programmed to analyse the data and thus interprets the binary code signals.

Electronic noses are currently being used in the food, perfumery, and chemical industries, as well as in medicine. Universities and international organizations are also providing major support for such projects. Nevertheless, as stated by Julian W. Gardner of the University of Warwick, researchers are still in the early stages of this technology.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

PLANE TECHNOLOGY

And to Sulayman We gave the fiercely blowing wind, speeding at his command toward the land that We had blessed. And We had full knowledge of everything. 

(Qur'an, 21:81)

As the above verse relates, Allah placed the wind under Prophet Sulayman's (as) command and allowed him to use it as a vehicle. There is a strong possibility of an indication here that, as in Prophet Sulayman's (as) time, wind energy will also be used in the technology of the future.

And We gave Sulayman power over the wind-a month's journey

 in the morning and a month in the afternoon... 

(Qur'an, 34:12)

The expression "a month's journey in the morning and a month in the afternoon" may be drawing attention to the fact that Prophet Sulayman (as) moved rapidly between different regions perhaps by using a technology similar to an airplane, or developed wind-powered vehicles that could cover long distances quickly. (Allah knows best.) There is thus a strong possibility that these verses point to modern airplane technology.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE VOYAGE TO THE MOON

And [I swear by] the moon when it is full, you will mount up stage by stage! 

What is the matter with them, that they have no faith? 

(Qur'an, 84:18-20)

After referring to the Moon, the above verses then say that people will mount up stage by stage. The term tarkabunna comes from the verb rakiba, (to mount, walk on a path, follow, embark upon, set about, participate, or rule). In the light of these meanings, it is very likely that the expression "you will mount up stage by stage" refers to a vehicle to be boarded.

Indeed, the astronauts' spacecraft pass through each layer of the atmosphere one by one, and then begin to pass through the Moon's gravitational field.

Thus, the Moon is reached by moving through individual layers.

In addition, the swearing by the Moon in Surat al-Inshiqaq 18 further strengthens this emphasis, meaning that the verse may well be a sign that humanity will travel to the Moon. (Allah knows best.)

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE TRIBE OF ISRAEL WILL BECOME VERY HAUGHTY

We decreed in the Book for the tribe of Israel: 

"You will twice cause corruption on Earth and you will reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. When the promised first time came, We sent against you servants of Ours possessing great force, and they ransacked your houses, rampaging right through them. It was a promise that was fulfilled. Then once again We gave you the upper hand over them, supplied you with more wealth and children, and made you the most numerous group." 

(Qur'an, 17:4-6)

As these verses reveal, the Children of Israel were to cause two corruptions over the world.

After the first one, during which they adopted a very high level of haughtiness, Allah sent a powerful army against them. Indeed, when the Jews killed Prophet Yahya (as) and set a trap to kill Prophet 'Isa (as) ("reaching to a degree of great haughtiness"), they were exiled shortly afterwards from Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 and wandered all over the world.

When that verse was revealed to the Prophet (saas), the Jews were living under very difficult conditions in various countries and had no state of their own. Yet, Allah told the Children of Israel that one day they would recover their strength. At that time, however, there seemed to be almost no chance that this would really happen.

Many centuries later, however, the Jews returned to Palestine and established the State of Israel in 1948. Today, Israel possesses military and political power and keeps the Middle East in great turmoil because of its Zionist ideology and harsh treatment of Palestinian Muslims and Christians.

This is a sign of the Children of Israel's second "corruption." However, this wicked behaviour clearly does not apply to the entire Jewish people, among whom there are many individuals of good conscience and common sense who do not agree with Israel's Zionist and anti-Arab policies.

In this and other verses, we notice that almost no one could believe that such things would ever come about. But Allah willed their fulfilment, and thereby provided believers with more proof that the Qur'an is a miraculous book revealed by Him for their benefit.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE PRESERVATION OF PHARAOH'S BODY

As we shall see later on, Pharaoh regarded himself as a deity and responded with slanders and threats to Prophet Musa's (as) calls for him to believe in Allah. This arrogant attitude lasted until he was faced with the threat of death through drowning. The Qur'an relates that Pharaoh immediately turned to belief when faced with Allah's punishment:

We brought the tribe of Israel across the sea, 

and Pharaoh and his troops pursued them out of tyranny and enmity. 

Then, when he was on the point of drowning, he [Pharaoh] said: 

"I believe that there is no god but Him in Whom the tribe of Israel believes. 

I am one of the Muslims." (Qur'an, 10:90)

However, this last-minute conversion was not accepted, for it was not sincere. According to the Qur'an, Allah exclaimed:

"What, now! When previously you rebelled and were one of the corrupters? 

Today we will preserve your body so you can be a Sign for people who come after you. 

Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs." 

(Qur'an, 10:91-92)

The information that Pharaoh's corpse would serve as a sign for later generations may be regarded as an indication that his body would not decay. On display in the Royal Mummies Chamber of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is a mummified body believed to be that of this tyrant. In all likelihood, Pharaoh's body floated to shore after being drowned, was found and mummified by the Egyptians, and then carried to a previously prepared burial chamber.182

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE ARMY-ANT IN TECHNOLOGY

Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said: 

"Ants! Enter your dwellings, so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly." 

(Qur'an, 27:18)

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

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

Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots

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

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

• Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic "swarms," mining (including material removal and search-and-rescue), mine sweeping (both land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface exploration and excavation.197

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

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

• The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either a central controller who sends orders to the agents, or by an a-priori agreement on a certain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents, eventually leads to a completion of the given mission. A third way, used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of the cooperation. The specific application that we address is covering, which is also known as exploring or searching. This variety of names hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine field.198

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

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE USE OF ELECTRICITY

And We made a fount of molten copper flow out for him. 

(Qur'an, 34:12)

One of Allah's great blessings to Prophet Sulayman (as) was "a fount of molten copper." This can be understood in several senses. By the use of melted copper, it may be referring to the existence, at his time, of an advanced technology that employed electricity. We know that copper is one of the best metals for conducting electricity and heat, and thus constitutes the basis of the electrical industry, which uses much of the copper produced in the world. The expression "flow out" may indicate that electricity can be used in many fields. (Allah knows best.)

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

IMAGE TRANSMISSION

He who possessed knowledge of the Book said: 

"I will bring it [the Queen of Saba's throne] to you before your glance returns to you." 

And when he [Sulayman] saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said: 

"This is part of my Lord's favour, to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude." (Qur'an, 27:40)

[He is] the Originator of the heavens and earth. 

When He decides on something, He just says to it, “Be!” and it is. 

(Qur’an, 2:117)

"He who possessed knowledge of the Book" told Prophet Sulayman (as) that he could bring the Queen of Saba's throne to him very quickly. This is a possible reference to the transmission of images with present-day advanced technology. Another verse on the subject reads:

A demon of the jinn said: "I will bring it to you before you get up from your seat. 

I am strong and trustworthy enough to do it." 

(Qur'an, 27:39)

In our day, text, pictures, and films can be sent anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet and advances in computer technology. For instance, carrying the Queen's throne to Prophet Sulayman's (as) court very quickly may well refer to the fact that it will be possible to send a three-dimensional picture or image in the blink of an eye over the Internet.

According to scientists, the teleportation of atoms and molecules, as well as larger bodies, may become possible in the near future. By this method, the item's material characteristics are removed from one location and transferred in every detail and atomic sequence to another location, where they are reconstructed. If this technology becomes operational one day, time and space will no longer represent an obstacle to travel and objects will be able to be transported anywhere in a single moment without traversing any physical distance.184

In 1998, physicists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) working with two European groups transported a photon. The scientists formed a copy of the photon by reading its atomic structure and then transmitted that information a distance of 1 metre. In another recent teleportation experiment, Ping Koy Lam of the Australian National University (ANU) and other researchers transmitted a laser ray a short distance.185

Indeed, according to a CNN report on 17 July 2002, a group of physicists from the National Australian University in Canberra split a laser ray and "transmitted" it several metres. Ping Koy Lam, the team's head, stated that they had not yet succeeded in transmitting matter in its atomic state, but that such a thing was not impossible and may become a reality in the future.

According to a study published in the science journal Nature, Eugene Polzik of Denmark's University of Aarhus, and his colleagues performed successful experiments on a large number of atoms, using laser rays and quantum physics.186 In his analyses of teleportation's potential, published in the journal Scientific American, Australian physicist Anton Zeilinger states that far more complex systems could be teleported without violating the laws of physics.187

As the Qur'an reveals in 

"We will show them Our Signs on the horizon 

and within themselves until it is clear to them that it is the truth" 

(Qur'an, 41:53), 

these scientific advances may represent a part of the technologies indicated in the Qur'an, all of which reveal its miraculous aspects.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

MODERN MEANS OF TRANSPORT

And horses, mules, and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. 

And He creates other things you do not know. 

(Qur'an, 16:8)

The above verse indicates that in addition to the animals mentioned here, people will have various unknown (to them) means of transport. The following verse points to the fact that there will be such mass modes of transport as ships:

A Sign for them is that We carried their families in the laden ship. 

And We have created for them the like of it, in which they sail. 

(Qur'an, 36:41-42)

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE EXPLORATION OF SPACE

Humanity's exploration of space was accelerated with the Soviet satellite Sputnik on 4 October 1957, which carried aloft the first man to ever leave Earth's atmosphere: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. On 20 July 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human being ever to set foot on the Moon.

In fact, the Qur'an revealed that such developments and achievements would one day be realised. For instance, Allah draws our attention to this in the following verse:

O company of jinn and human beings. 

If you are able to pierce through the confines of the heavens and Earth, pierce through them. 

You will not pierce through, except with a clear authority. 

(Qur'an, 55:33)

The Arabic word sultan, translated here as "a clear authority," has other meanings as well: force, power, sovereignty, dominion, law, path, permission, give leave, justify, and proof.

Careful examination reveals that the above verse emphasizes that humanity will be able to move into the depths of Earth and sky, but only with a superior power. In all likelihood, this superior power is the superior technology employed in the twentieth century, for it enabled scientists to achieve this great feat.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE CONQUEST OF MAKKAH

Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: 

You will enter the Masjid al-Haram [Sacred Mosque] in safety, Allah willing, 

shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear. 

He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. 

(Qur'an, 48:27)

One night in Madinah, the Prophet (saas) dreamed that the believers would enter the Sacred Mosque and walk around the Ka`bah. After he awoke, he gave this good news to the believers, for those who had migrated from Makkah to Madinah with him had not been able to return since.

In Surat al-Fath 27, Allah revealed to the Prophet (saas) that He would help and support him, that the dream was true, and that the believers would enter Makkah. A short while later, with the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the conquest of Makkah, the believers entered the Sacred Mosque in complete safety, just as the dream had foretold. That was how Allah showed that it had been His will that the Prophet's (saas) dream be fulfilled.

On closer consideration, this verse can be seen to announce yet another victory that will take place before Makkah's capture: the capture of the Khyber Fortress, which was under the control of the Jews, before they entered Makkah.183

Other verses that give the glad tidings of Makkah's conquest are given below:

He held their hands back from you, and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah, 

after giving you the upper hand over them. Allah sees what you do. 

(Qur'an, 48:24)

Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive you your earlier errors and any later ones, complete His blessing upon you, and guide you on a Straight Path. 

And so that Allah may help you with a mighty help. 

(Qur'an, 48:1-3)

Surat al-Isra' 76 states that the unbelievers cannot stay in Makkah:

They were very near to scaring you from the land with the object of expelling you from it. 

But had they done so, they would only have remained there a short time after you. 

(Qur'an, 17:76)

The Prophet (saas) entered Makkah and conquered it in 8 ah (630). Two years later, all of the unbelievers left Makkah, just as Allah had said that they would. Another point that should be noted here is that when the Prophet (saas) gave that good news to the believers, it looked totally out of the question. In fact, the situation pointed in quite the opposite direction, and the polytheists appeared quite determined never to let the believers enter Makkah. As a result, those who had doubts in their hearts began to doubt the Prophet's (saas) words. Yet, the Prophet (saas) trusted in Allah, paid no attention to the doubters' words, and told people what Allah had revealed to him. The Qur'an confirmed his words, and the prediction was fulfilled shortly afterwards.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com

THE VICTORY OF BYZANTIUM

INTRODUCTION

Another miraculous aspect of the Qur'an is its prediction of future events, all of which have so far been fulfilled. This is one of the proofs that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah. In the following pages, we will dwell on some of these events.

THE VICTORY OF BYZANTIUM

An astonishing prediction is found in the first verses of Surat ar-Rum, which refers to the Byzantine Empire, the eastern part of the later Roman Empire: The Byzantine Empire, which had met with a great defeat, would soon gain victory.

Alif, Lam, Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but after their defeat they will be victorious within three to nine years. The affair is Allah's from beginning to end. On that day, the believers will rejoice. (Qur'an, 30:1-4)

These verses were revealed around 620, almost 7 years after the idolatrous Persians had severely defeated Christian Byzantium in 613-14. In fact, Byzantium had suffered such heavy losses that it seemed impossible for it even to survive, let alone be victorious again. Following their defeat of the Byzantines at Antioch in 613, the Persians seized control of Damascus, Cilicia, Tarsus, Armenia, and Jerusalem. The loss of Jerusalem in 614 was particularly traumatic for the Byzantines, for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the Persians seized the "True Cross," the symbol of Christianity.174 In addition, the Avars, Slavs, and Lombards also were posing serious threats to the Byzantine Empire. The Avars had reached as far as the walls of Constantinople. Emperor Heraclius ordered the gold and silver in churches to be melted and turned into money in order to meet the army's expenses. When this proved insufficient, bronze statues were melted down in order to mint more money. Many governors had revolted against Heraclius, and Byzantium was on the point of collapse.175 Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia, which had earlier belonged to Byzantium, were invaded by the idolatrous Persians.176

The Dead Sea basin where Byzantium was defeated by Persians. Above is a satellite photograph of the region. The Lake of Lut region, which is the lowest region of the world, is 395 meter below the sea level.

In short, everyone was expecting Byzantium to be destroyed. But during this time, the first verses of Surat ar-Rum were revealed, announcing that Byzantium would triumph in 3 to 9 years. This predicted victory seemed so impossible that the Arab polytheists thought it would never come true.

On top a satellite photograph of the Dead Sea basin. The altitude of the Dead Sea could only be determined with modern measurement techniques. These measurements led to the discovery that this region is the "lowest region on the Earth."

Like all the other predictions in the Qur'an, however, this one also came true. In 622, Heraclius gained a number of victories over the Persians and conquered Armenia.177 In December 627, the two empires fought a decisive battle at Nineveh, some 50 kilometres east of the Tigris river, near Baghdad. This time too, the Byzantine army defeated the Persians. A few months later, the Persians had to sue for peace with Byzantium, which obliged them to return the territories they had taken from it.178

The Byzantine victory was completed when Emperor Heraclius defeated the Persian ruler Khosrow II in 630, recaptured Jerusalem, and regained the "True Cross" for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.179 In the end, "the victory of the Romans" proclaimed by Allah in the Qur'an miraculously came true within the verses' stated "three to nine years" time frame.

Another miracle revealed in these verses is the announcement of a geographical fact that could not have been known by anyone at that time: that the Romans had been defeated in the lowest region of Earth. This Arabic expression adna al-Ard is interpreted as "a nearby place" in many translations. However, this is not the literal meaning, but rather a figurative interpretation. The word adna, derived from the word dani (low), means “the lowest”. The word ard means “the world.” Therefore, adna al-ard means "the lowest place on Earth."

Some interpreters of the Qur'an, considering the closeness of the region in question to the Arabs, prefer the "closest" meaning of the word. However, the actual meaning indicates a very important geological fact: The Dead Sea, one of the regions in which the Byzantines were defeated in 613-14, is the lowest region on Earth.180

As stated earlier, for Christian Byzantium, the loss of the True Cross was the heaviest blow in that defeat in Jerusalem, located near the shores of the Dead Sea.

The Byzantines and the Persians actually fought at the Dead Sea basin, which is situated at the intersection point of the lands belonging to Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. At 399 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the "lowest" place on Earth's surface.181

However, as only modern measuring methods and equipment can prove this fact, it would have been impossible for anyone living at that time to realise this truth. Yet, the Qur'an states clearly that this region was the "lowest land" on Earth and thereby provides further evidence that it is the Word of Allah.

Source : MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN.com