THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

The origin of the universe is described in the Qur'an in the following

verse:
"He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth." (The
Qur'an, 6:101)
This information given in the Qur'an is in full agreement with the
findings of contemporary science. The conclusion that astrophysics has
reached today is that the entire universe, together with the
dimensions of matter and time, came into existence as a result of a
great explosion that occurred in no time. This event, known as "The
Big Bang" proved that the universe was created from nothingness as
the result of the explosion of a single point. Modern scientific circles
are in agreement that the Big Bang is the only rational and provable
explanation of the beginning of the universe and of how the universe
came into being.
Before the Big Bang, there was no such thing as matter. From a
condition of non-existence in which neither matter, nor energy, nor
even time existed, and which can only be described metaphysically,
matter, energy, and time were all created. This fact, only recently discovered by modern physics,
was announced to us in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago.

The sensitive sensors on board the COBE space satellite which was launched by
NASA in 1992, captured evidentiary remnants of the Big Bang. This discovery served
as evidence for the Big Bang, which is the scientific explanation of the fact that the
universe was created from nothing.

The sensitive sensors on board the COBE space satellite which was launched by NASA in 1992,
captured evidentiary remnants of the Big Bang. This discovery served as evidence for the Big
Bang, which is the scientific explanation of the fact that the universe was created from nothing.

HE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE

Edwin Hubble with his

giant telescope

In the Qur'an, which was revealed 14 centuries ago at a time when

the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the
universe was described like this:
"And it is We who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it
is We who are steadily expanding it." (The Qur'an, 51:47)
The word "heaven", as stated in this verse, is used in various places
in the Qur'an with the meaning of space and universe. Here again,
the word is used with this meaning. In other words, in the Qur'an it is
revealed that the universe "expands". And this is the very conclusion
that science has reached today.
Until the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the
world of science was that "the universe has a constant nature and it
has existed since infinite time". The research, observations, and
calculations carried out by means of modern technology, however,
have revealed that the universe in fact had a beginning, and that it
constantly "expands".
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander
Friedmann and the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre
theoretically calculated that the universe is in constant motion and
that it is expanding.

From the moment of the

big bang, the universe
has been constantly
expanding at a great
speed. Scientists compare
the expanding universe to
the surface of a balloon
that is inflated.

This fact was proved also by observational data in 1929. While observing the sky with a telescope, Edwin
Hubble, the American astronomer, discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving away
from each other. A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a
constantly expanding universe. The observations carried out in the following years verified that the
universe is constantly expanding. This fact was explained in the Qur'an when that was still unknown to
anyone. This is because the Qur'an is the word of God, the Creator, and the Ruler of the entire universe.
Another verse about the creation of the heavens is as follows:
"Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as
one unit of creation), before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every
thing. Will they not then believe?" (The Qur'an, 21:30)
SEPERATION OF living
The word ratq translated as "sewn to" means "mixed in each, blended" in Arabic
THE HEAVENS
dictionaries. It is used to refer to two different substances that make up a whole.
AND THE EARTH The phrase "we unstitched" is the verb fataqa in Arabic and implies that
something comes into being by tearing apart or destroying the structure of ratq.
The sprouting of a seed from the soil is one of the actions to which this verb is
applied.
Let us take a look at the verse again with this knowledge in mind. In the verse,
sky and earth are at first subject to the status of ratq. They are separated
(fataqa) with one coming out of the other. Intriguingly, when we remember the
first moments of the Big Bang, we see that a single point included all the matter
in the universe. In other words, everything, including "the heavens and earth"
which were not created yet, were included in this point in a condition of ratq.
This point exploded violently, causing its matter to fataqa and in the process
created the structure of the whole universe.
When we compare the expressions in the verse with scientific findings, we see
that they are in perfect agreement with each other. Interestingly enough, these
findings were not arrived at until the 20th century.

ORBITS
The picture represents the
Big Bang, which revealed
once again that God created
the universe from
nothingness. The Big Bang is
a theory that has been
proven with scientific
evidence. Although some
scientists tried to advance
alternative theories against
the Big Bang, scientific
evidence caused the theory
to be completely accepted by
the scientific community.

While referring to the Sun and the Moon in the Qur'an, it is emphasized that each
moves in a definite orbit.
"It is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun
and the moon. They swim along, each in an orbit. " (The
Qur'an, 21:33)
It is mentioned in another verse, too, that the Sun is
not static but moves in a definite orbit:
"And the sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree
of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. " (The Qur'an, 36:38)
These
facts
communicated in the
Qur'an
have
been
discovered
by
astronomical
observations in our age.
According
to
the
calculations of experts
on astronomy, the Sun is
traveling
at
the
enormous speed of 720,000 kilometers an hour in the direction of the star
Vega in a particular orbit called the Solar Apex. This means that the sun
travels roughly 17,280,000 kilometers a day. Along with the Sun, and all
planets and satellites within the gravitational system of the Sun also travel
the same distance. In addition, all the stars in the universe are in a similar
planned motion.
Like many other comets in the
universe, Halley's comet, seen
That the entire universe is full of paths and orbits such as this one, is
above, also moves in a planned
written in the Qur'an as follows:
orbit. It has a specific orbit and it
"By the sky full of paths and orbits." (The Qur'an, 51:7)
moves in this orbit in a perfect
There are about 200 billion galaxies in the universe, consisting of nearly harmony with other celestial bodies.
200 billion stars in each. Most of these stars have planets, and most of
those planets have satellites. All of these heavenly bodies move in very
precisely computed orbits. For millions of years, each has been "swimming" along in its own orbit in
perfect harmony and order with all the others. Moreover, many comets also move along in the orbits
determined for them.
The orbits in the universe do not only belong to celestial bodies. The galaxies also travel at enormous
speeds in computed, planned orbits. During these movements, none of these celestial bodies cuts across
another's path, or collides with another.
Surely at the time the Qur'an was revealed, mankind did not possess today's telescopes or advanced
observation technologies to observe millions of kilometres of space, nor the modern knowledge of physics

or astronomy. Therefore, at that time, it was not possible to determine scientifically that space is "full of
paths and orbits" as stated in the verse. However, this was openly declared to us in the Qur'an that was
revealed at that time:-because the Qur'an is the word of God.

THE SOLAR SYSTEM: THE NAME OF A MIRACLE

The blue planet that is home to all the life in the universe
The flawless system of which our world is also a part
Has been constructed in complete harmony and on flawless balances. They are just some of the signs of the Infinite
and Incomparable Might of Almighty Allah, our Creator
The Planet Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. In terms of mass, its size is close to that of the Earths. And it has its own
atmosphere. It can easily be seen from the Earth with the naked eye, close to the Sun, at dusk and dawn. It is the
brightest celestial body after the Sun and Moon. Venus also has interesting features distinguishing itself from other
planets. One of the most interesting of these is that on Venus one day is longer than one year. In other words, the speed
at which it orbits around the Sun is greater than at which it rotates around its own axis. In addition, Venus moves in the
opposite direction to the other planets. While the other planets all travel in a clockwise direction, Venus travels anticlockwise, revolving at a very slow speed.
The Solar System consists of a star we call the Sun, nine planets that revolve in
specific orbits around that star, and a large number of small celestial bodies. It is
estimated that there are countless stars in the universe. These stars are located in
particular galaxies. The Solar System is one part of the Milky Way.

Mercury: The first planet

Mercury is the second smallest planet in the Solar System, and is famed for being the closest to the Sun. Being the
closest planet to the Sun; daytime temperature rises to as high as 427 C (800 F). Since it has no atmosphere it does
not retain that heat, and at night, temperature decreases to as low as -173 C (-279 F). Since Mercury is close to the
Sun it can be seen with the naked eye, like a bright star nearby the Sun, at dawn and dusk.
Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the Earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the
Throne. He covers the day with the night, each pursuing the other urgently; and the sun and moon and stars
are subservient to His command. Both creation and command belong to Him. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all
the worlds. (Surat Al-Araf, 54)
The Sun: The Centre of the Solar System
The Sun, which is just one of the countless stars in the universe, represents the centre of the Solar System, of which the
planet we live on is a part. The radius of this giant energy source, estimated to be around 4.65 billion years old, is
around 100 times greater than that of the Earths. The Sun revolves around its own axis in about 27 days. The
temperature at its core is 10 million degrees, and its external temperature is 5700 Kelvin.
The surface of the Sun is made up of strata, known as the photosphere, the chromosphere and the corona, from the
centre out.
The Moon: The Blue Planets Satellite
It takes around 29.53059 days for the Moon, the Earths only satellite, to return to the same level as the Sun as seen
from any point on Earth. This is known as the synodial period. The lunar calendar is arranged according to the synodial
period. The phases of the Moon fall on the same day approximately once every 19 years. No answer has yet been
found to question how the Moon came into existence. Although several theories have been proposed regarding the
formation of the Earth and the Solar System, there are no realistic theories concerning that of the Moon.
Jupiter: The largest planet
Jupiter is the systems fifth planet and also the largest. Its mass is twice that of all the other planets put together. It is a
giant planet with a mass of 1.9 x 1027 and a circumference at the equator of 142,800 kilometers (88,730 miles).
Although Mars is from time to time brighter than Jupiter, the latter is still the fourth brightest celestial body after the Sun,
the Moon and Venus.
Jupiter disseminates some 2.5 times the energy it receives from the Sun, and the reason for this is believed to be that
the gravitational collapse on the planet is still going on. There is a ring around Jupiter some 6500 kilometers (4039
miles) wide and several kilometers thick. This giant planet possesses a very great magnetic field, thanks to which
Jupiter has 39 known moons.
Saturn
Saturn, the second largest planet in the Solar System, has a radius of 60,400 kilometers (37,530 miles), and at
1,433,000,000 kilometers (890,400 miles), it is the sixth closest planet to the Sun. Observed through a telescope, the
planet has a greenish color and is the furthest planet capable of being seen with the naked eye. Because of its distance
from the Sun, its surface temperature is approximately 150 C (-238 F).
The rings around the planet were a mystery for many years, and inspired enormous interest in the planet.
Uranus: The mystery planet
Uranus is the seventh furthest planet from the Sun. Because of its distance from the Sun, very little is known about it.
Our knowledge of the planets structure and atmosphere is mostly conjectural and based on data sent back by the
space craft Voyager 2 that passed by the planet in 1986. In the light of that information, it is speculated that the planet
has an atmosphere rich in hydrogen and containing methane and helium, that its surface temperature is around 221 C
(-365 F), that it has a magnetic field greater than that of the Earths, and that it has a rocky core.
Mars: The red planet
Mars is the fourth closest planet to the Sun. It appears red in the sky and has its own atmosphere. In terms of size, it is
approximately half as big as the Earth. Equatorial daytime temperature reaches around 10 C (50 F), but since its

atmosphere is insufficient to retain that heat, night-time temperature decreases to as low as 75 C (-103 F). One day
on Mars lasts only half an hour than one day on Earth, but since it is much further from the Sun than is the Earth, a year
on Mars lasts 687 days.
Neptune and Pluto
The discovery of these two planets, the furthest away from the Sun, is based totally on mathematical calculations.
Neptune and Pluto, the smallest of the planets, are the two planets about which we know the least.

THE ROUNDNESS OF THE EARTH

"He has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the night up in the day, and wraps the day up
in the night." (The Qur'an, 39:5)
In the Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The
Arabic word that is translated as "to wrap" in the above verse is "takwir". In English,
it means "to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment that is laid
away". (For instance, in Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of
wrapping one thing around another, in the way that a turban is put on.)
The information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping each other
up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true only
if the earth is round. This means that in the Qur'an, which was revealed in the 7th
century, the roundness of the world was hinted at.
It should be remembered, however, that the understanding of astronomy of the time
perceived the world differently. It was then thought that the world was a flat plane
and all scientific calculations and explanations were based on this belief. The verses
of the Qur'an, however, include information that we have learned only in the past century. Since the
Qur'an is God's word, the most correct words were used in it when it comes to describing the universe.

PROTECTED ROOF
In the Qur'an, God calls our attention to a very interesting attribute of the
sky:
"We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from
Our Signs.." (The Qur'an, 21:32)
This attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried out in
the 20th century.
The atmosphere surrounding the earth serves crucial
functions for the continuity of life. While destroying many
meteors big and small as they approach the earth, it
prevents them from falling to earth and harming living
things.
In addition, the atmosphere filters the light rays coming
This illustration shows
from space that are harmful to living things. Interestingly,
meteors that are about to
crash into the earth. The
the atmosphere lets only harmless and useful rays- visible
celestial bodies wandering in
light, near ultraviolet light, and radio waves pass through.
space could pose a serious
All of this radiation is vital for life. Near ultraviolet rays,
Most people looking at the
threat to the Earth. Yet, God,
which are only partially let in by the atmosphere, are very sky do not think about the
He Who creates most
important
for
the
photosynthesis
of
plants
and
for
the
protective aspect of the
perfectly, has made the
survival of all living beings. The majority of the intense atmosphere. They almost
atmosphere a protective roof.
ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun are filtered out by the never think what kind of a
Thanks to this special
protection, most meteoroids
ozone layer of the atmosphere and only a limited-and place the world would be like
do not harm the Earth, as
essential-part of the ultraviolet spectrum reaches the Earth. if this structure did not exist.
they fall to pieces in the
The protective function of the atmosphere does not end The above photo belongs to a
giant crater caused by a
atmosphere.
here. The atmosphere also protects the earth from the meteor that fell in Arizona, in
freezing cold of the space, which is about minus 270o C.
the USA. If the atmosphere
It is not only the atmosphere that protects the Earth from harmful effects. In addition to did not exist, millions of
the atmosphere, the Van Allen Belt, a layer caused by the magnetic field of the Earth, meteoroids would fall to the
also serves as a shield against the harmful radiation that threatens our planet. This Earth and the Earth would
radiation, which is constantly emitted by the Sun and other stars, is deadly to living become an inhabitable place.
Yet, the protective aspect of
things. If the Van Allen belt did not exist, the massive outbursts of energy called solar the atmosphere allows living
flares that frequently occur in the Sun would destroy all life on Earth.
things to survive in safety.
Dr. Hugh Ross has this to say on the importance of Van Allen Belts to our lives:
This is certainly God's
In fact, the Earth has the highest density of any of the planets in our Solar System. This protection of people, and a
large nickel-iron core is responsible for our large magnetic field. This magnetic field miracle proclaimed in the
produces the Van-Allen radiation shield, which protects the Earth from radiation Qur'an.

bombardment. If this shield were not present, life would not be possible on the Earth. The only other rocky
planet to have any magnetic field is Mercury - but its field strength is 100 times less than the Earth's.
Even Venus, our sister planet, has no magnetic field. The Van-Allen radiation shield is a design unique to
the Earth. (http://www.jps.net/bygrace/index. html Taken from Big Bang Refined by Fire by Dr. Hugh Ross, 1998. Reasons To
Believe, Pasadena, CA.)

The energy transmitted in just one of these bursts detected in recent years was calculated to be
equivalent to 100 billion atomic bombs similar to the one dropped on Hiroshima. Fifty-eight hours after the
burst, it was observed that the magnetic needles of compasses displayed unusual movement and 250
kilometers above the earth's atmosphere, the temperature suddenly increased to 2,500o C.
In short, a perfect system is at work high above the Earth. It surrounds our world and protects it against
external threats. Scientists only learned about it recently, yet centuries ago, God informed us in the
Qur'an of the world's atmosphere functioning as a protective shield.

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THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

The Earth has all the attributes that are needed for life. One of them is the atmosphere, which serves as a shield
protecting living things. Today, it is an established fact that the atmosphere is made up of different layers lying on top of
one another. Just as it is described in the Qur'an, the atmosphere is made up of exactly seven layers. This is certainly one
of the miracles of the Qur'an.

One fact about the universe revealed in the verses of the Qur'an is that the sky is made up of seven
layers.
"It is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed His attention up to heaven and arranged
it into seven regular heavens. He has knowledge of all things." (The Qur'an, 2:29)
"Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven heavens and revealed,
in every heaven, its own mandate." (The Qur'an, 41:12)
The word "heavens", which appears in many verses in the Qur'an, is used to refer to the sky above the
Earth, as well as the entire universe. Given this meaning of the word, it is seen that the Earth's sky, or the
atmosphere, is made up of seven layers.

Indeed, today it is known that the world's atmosphere consists of different layers that lie on top of each
other. Furthermore, it consists, just as is described in the Qur'an, of exactly seven layers. In a scientific
source, the subject is described as follows:
Scientists have found that the atmosphere consists of several layers. The layers differ in such physical
properties as pressure and the types of gasses. The layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth is called the
TROPOSPHERE. It contains about 90% of the total mass of the atmosphere. The layer above the
troposphere is called the STRATOSPHERE. The OZONE LAYER is the part of the stratosphere where
absorption of ultraviolet rays occurs. The layer above the stratosphere is called the MESOSPHERE. The
THERMOSPHERE lies above the mesosphere. The ionized gases form a layer within the thermosphere
called the IONOSPHERE. The outermost part of Earth's atmosphere extends from about 480 km out to 960
km. This part is called the EXOSPHERE. (Carolyn Sheets, Robert Gardner, Samuel F. Howe; General Science, Allyn and
Bacon Inc. Newton, Massachusetts, 1985, s. 319-322)

If we count the number of layers cited in this source, we see that the atmosphere consists of exactly
seven layers, just as stated in the verse.
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Ozonosphere
4. Mesosphere
5. Thermosphere
6. Ionosphere
7. Exosphere
Another important miracle on this subject is mentioned in the statement "(He) revealed, in every heaven,
its own mandate.", in verse 12 of Sura Fussilet. In other words, in the verse, God states that He assigned
each heaven its own duty. Truly, as seen in previous chapters, each one of these layers has vital duties for
the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the Earth. Each layer has a particular function,
ranging from forming rain to preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves, to averting the harmful
effects of meteors.
One of these functions, for example, is stated in a scientific source as follows:
Earth's atmosphere has 7 layers. The lowest layer is called troposphere. Rain, snow and wind only take
place in the troposphere. (http://muttley.ucdavis.edu/Book/Atmosphere/beginner/layers-01.html)
It is a great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly be discovered without the technology of the
20th century, were explicitly stated by the Qur'an 1,400 years ago.
14 centuries ago, when the
sky was believed to be one
unified body, the Qur'an
miraculously stated that it
consisted of layers, and
what is more, "seven"
layers. Modern science, on
the other hand, discovered
the fact that the
atmosphere surrounding
the Earth is made up of
"seven" basic layers only
very recently.

HE FUNCTION OF MOUNTAINS
The Qur'an draws attention to a very important geological function of mountains.
"We placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under them"
(The Qur'an, 21:31)
As we have noticed, it is stated in the verse that mountains have the function of
preventing shocks in the Earth.
This fact was not known by anyone at the time the Qur'an was revealed. It was in fact
brought to light only recently as a result of the findings of modern geology.
According to these findings, mountains emerge as a result of the movements and
collisions of massive plates forming the Earth's crust. When two plates collide, the

With
extensions that
mountains
extend out
towards under
the ground as
well as over the
ground, they
clench different
plates of the
earth together
like a peg. The
Earth's crust
consists of
plates that are
in constant
motion. This
clenching
property of
mountains
prevents
shocks to a
great extent,
by fixing the
earth's crust,
which has a
very movable
structure.

stronger one slides under the other, the one on the top bends and forms heights and mountains. The
layer beneath proceeds under the ground and makes a deep extension downward. That means that
mountains have a portion stretching downwards, as large as their visible parts on the Earth.
In a scientific text, the structure of mountains is described as follows:
Where continents are thicker, as in mountain ranges, the crust sinks deeper into the mantle. (General
Science, Carolyn Sheets, Robert Gardner, Samuel F. Howe; Allyn and Bacon Inc. Newton, Massachusetts,
1985, s. 305)
In a verse, this role of the mountains is pointed out by a comparison with "pegs":
"Have We not made the earth as a bed and the mountains its pegs?" (The Qur'an, 78:6-7)
Mountains, in other words, clench the plates in the Earth's crust together by extending above and
beneath the Earth's surface at the conjunction points of these plates. In this way, they fix the Earth's
crust, and prevent it from drifting over the magma stratum or among its plates. Briefly, we may liken
mountains to nails that keep pieces of wood together.
This fixing function of the mountains is described in scientific literature by the term
"isostasy". Isostasy means the following:
Isostasy: general equilibrium in the Earth's crust maintained by a yielding flow of rock
material beneath the surface under gravitational stress. (Webster's New Twentieth Century
Dictionary, 2. edition "Isostasy", New York, s. 975)

This vital role of mountains, that was discovered by modern geology and seismic
research, was revealed in the Qur'an centuries ago as an example of the supreme
wisdom in God's creation.
"We placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under them..."
(The Qur'an, 21:31)

THE FECUNDATING WINDS

The picture
above shows
the stages in
the formation
of a wave.
Waves are
formed by the
wind blowing
above the
surface of the
water. With the
wind, water
particles start
to move in a
circular motion.
This movement
soon forms
waves, one
after the other,
and bubbles
formed by the
waves spread
in the air. This
is the first
stage in the
formation of
rain. This
process is
declared in the
verse as "We
send the
fecundating
winds and then
cause water to
descend from
the sky."

In one verse of the Qur'an, the "fecundating" characteristic of the winds, and the
formation of rain as a result are mentioned.
"And We send the fecundating winds, then cause water to descend from the sky, therewith
providing you with water in abundance." (The Qur'an, 15:22)
In this verse, it is pointed out that the first stage in the formation of rain is wind. Until
the beginning of the 20th century, the only relationship between the wind and the rain
that was known, was that the wind drove the clouds. However, modern meteorological
findings have demonstrated the "fecundating" role of the wind in the formation of rain.
This fecundating function of the wind works in the following way:
On the surface of oceans and seas, countless air bubbles form because of the water's
foaming action. The moment these bubbles burst, thousands of tiny particles, with a
diameter of just one hundredth of a millimeter, are thrown up into the air. These
particles, known as "aerosols", mix with dust carried from the land by the wind, and are
carried to the upper layers of the atmosphere. These particles carried to higher altitudes
by winds come into contact with water vapour up there. Water vapour condenses around
these particles and turns into water droplets. These water droplets first come together
and form clouds, and then fall to the Earth in the form of rain.
As seen, winds "fecundate" the water vapour floating in the air with the particles they
carry from the sea, and eventually help the formation of rain clouds.
If winds did not possess this property, water droplets in the upper atmosphere would
never form, and there would be no such thing as rain.
The most important point here is that this critical role of the wind in the formation of rain was stated
centuries ago in a verse of the Qur'an, at a time when people knew very little about natural phenomena

THE SEAS NOT MINGLING WITH ONE ANOTHER

One of the properties of seas that has only recently been discovered is related in a verse of the Qur'an as
follows:
"He has let loose the two seas, converging together, with a barrier between them they do not break through."
(The Qur'an, 55:19-20)

This property of the seas, that they come together yet do not mingle with one another at all, has only
very recently been discovered by oceanographers. Because of the physical force called "surface tension",
the waters of neighboring seas do not mix. Caused by the difference in the density of their waters, surface
tension prevents them from mingling with one another, just as if a thin wall were between them. (Davis,
Richard A., Jr. 1972, Principles of Oceanography, Don Mills, Ontario, Addison-Wesley Publishing, s. 92-93.)
There are large waves, strong
currents, and tides in the
Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean. Mediterranean Sea water
enters the Atlantic by Gibraltar. But
their temperature, salinity, and
densities do not change, because of
the barrier that separates them.

The interesting side to this is that during a period when people had no knowledge of physics, surface
tension, or oceanography; this was revealed in the Qur'an.

DARKNESS IN THE SEAS AND INTERNAL WAVES

"Or (the unbelievers' state) are like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is
covered by waves above which are waves above which are clouds, layers of
darkness, one upon the other. If he puts out his hand, he can scarcely see it. Those
God gives no light to, they have no light." (The Qur'an, 24:40)
The general environment in deep seas is described in the book named Oceans:
The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters
and below. At this depth, there is almost no light. Below a depth of 1000 meters
there is no light at all. (Elder, Danny; and John Pernetta, 1991, Oceans, London, Mitchell
Beazley Publishers, s. 27)

Measurements made with

today's technology have
revealed that between 3
and 30 percent of the
sunlight is reflected at
the surface of the sea.
Then, almost all of the
seven colours of the light
spectrum are absorbed,
one after another, in the
first 200 meters, except
for blue light (picture at
left). Below a depth of
1,000 meters, there is no
light at all. (above
picture). This scientific
fact was pointed out in
the verse 40 of Sura Nur
in the Qur'an 1,400 years
ago..

Today, we know about the general structure of the sea, the characteristics of
the living things in it, its salinity, as well as the amount of water it contains, its
surface area and depth. Submarines and special equipment, developed with
modern technology, enable scientists to obtain this information.
Human beings are not able to dive more than 40 meters down without the aid of
special equipment. They cannot survive unaided in the deep, dark parts of the
oceans, such as at a depth of 200 meters. For these reasons, scientists have
only recently been able to discover these detailed pieces of information about
seas. However, the statement of "darkness in a deep sea" was used in Sura Nur
1,400 years ago. It is certainly one of the miracles of the Qur'an that such
information was given at a time where no equipment to enable man to dive into the depths of the oceans
was available.
In addition, the statement in verse 40 of Sura Nur "like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is
covered by waves above which are waves above which are clouds" draws our attention to
another miracle of the Qur'an.
Scientists have recently discovered that there are internal waves, which "occur on density interfaces
between layers of different densities." These internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans
because deep water has a higher density than the water above it. Internal waves act like surface waves.
They can break, just like surface waves. Internal waves cannot be seen by the human eye, but they can
be detected by studying temperature or salinity changes at a given location. (Gross, M. Grant; 1993,
Oceanography, a View of Earth, 6. edition, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Hall Inc., s. 205)

The statements in the Qur'an run absolutely parallel to the above explanation. Without research, one can
only see the waves on the surface of the sea. It is impossible for one to know about the internal waves
beneath the sea. Yet, in Sura Nur, God draws our attention to another type of wave that occurs in the
depths of the oceans. Certainly, this fact, which scientists has discovered very recently, shows once again
that the Qur'an is the word of God.

One of the items of information given in the Qur'an about rain is that it is sent down to Earth in due
measure. This is mentioned in Sura Zukhruf as follows;
"It is He who sends down water in due measure from the sky by which We bring a dead land back to life. That is
how you too will be raised (from the dead)." (The Qur'an, 43:11)
This measured quantity in rain has again been discovered by modern research. It is estimated that in one
second, approximately 16 million tons of water evaporates from the Earth. This figure amounts to 513
trillion tons of water in one year. This number is equal to the amount of rain that falls on the Earth in a
year. This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle, in a "measure". Life on Earth
depends on this water cycle. Even if people used all the available technology in the world, they would not
be able to reproduce this cycle artificially.

Every year, the amount of water that evaporates and that falls back to the Earth in the form
of rain is "constant": 513 trillion tons. This constant amount is declared in the Qur'an by the
expression "sending down water in due measure from the sky". The constancy of this
quantity is very important for the continuity of the ecological balance, and therefore, life.
ago..

Even a minor deviation in this equilibrium would very soon give rise to a major ecological imbalance that
would bring about the end of life on Earth. Yet, this never happens, and rain keeps falling every year in
exactly the same quantity just as revealed in the Qur'an.

THE FORMATION OF RAIN

How rain forms remained a great mystery for a long time. Only after
weather radar was invented was it possible to discover the stages by
which rain is formed.
According to this, the formation of rain takes place in three stages. First,
the "raw material" of rain rises up into the air with the wind. Later, clouds
are formed, and finally raindrops appear.
The Qur'an's account of the formation of rain refers exactly to this
process. In one verse, this formation is described in this way:
"It is God Who sends the winds which stir up clouds which He spreads about
The above illustration
the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps and you see the
shows the water droplets
rain come pouring out from the middle of them. When He makes it fall on
being released into the
air. This is the first stage
those of His slaves He wills, they rejoice" (The Qur'an, 30:48)
in the formation of rain.
Now, let us examine these three stages outlined in the verse more
After that, the water
technically.
droplets in the newly
FIRST STAGE: "It is God Who sends the winds..."
formed clouds will be
Countless air bubbles formed by the foaming of the oceans continuously suspended in the air and
burst and cause water particles to be ejected towards the sky. These
then condense to form
particles, which are rich in salt, are then carried away by winds and rise
rain. All of these stages
upward in the atmosphere. These particles, which are called aerosols, are related in the Qur'an.
function as water traps, and form cloud drops by collecting around the
water vapour themselves, which rises from the seas as tiny droplets.
SECOND STAGE: ".... which stir up clouds which He spreads about the sky however He wills. He
forms them into dark clumps..."
The clouds are formed from water vapour that condenses around the salt crystals or dust particles
in the air. Because the water droplets in these clouds are very small (with a diameter between 0.01
and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in the air, and spread across the sky. Thus, the sky is
covered in clouds.
THIRD STAGE: "and you see the rain come pouring our from the middle of them"
The water particles that surround salt crystals and dust particles thicken and form raindrops, so,
drops that become heavier than the air leave the clouds and start to fall to the ground as rain.
As we have seen, every stage in the formation of rain is related in the verses of the Qur'an.
Furthermore, these stages are explained in exactly the right sequence. Just as with many other
natural phenomena on the Earth, God gives the most correct explanation of this phenomenon as

well, and made it known to people in the Qur'an centuries before it was discovered.
In another verse, the following information is given about the formation of
rain:
"Have you not seen how God drives along the clouds, then joins them
together, then makes them into a stack, and then you see the rain come out of
it? And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) with cold
hail in them, striking with it anyone He wills and averting it from anyone He
wills. The brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight." (The Qur'an,
24:43)
Scientists studying cloud types came across surprising results regarding
the formation of rain clouds. Rain clouds are formed and shaped
according to definite systems and stages. The formation stages of
cumulonimbus, one kind of rain cloud, are these:
1. STAGE, Being driven along: Clouds are carried along, that is, they
are driven along, by the wind.
2. STAGE, Joining: Then, small clouds (cumulus clouds) driven along by
the wind join together, forming a larger cloud.
3. STAGE, Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts
Small clouds (cumulus
within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the centre of the cloud
clouds) are carried along
are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud
and joined together by
body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth
the wind, that is, as the
causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere,
verse says: "God
where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and
drives along the
larger. When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the
clouds, then joins
them together "
updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail,
etc. (Anthes, Richard A.; John J. Cahir; Alistair B. Fraser; and Hans A. Panofsky, 1981,
The Atmosphere, s. 269; Millers, Albert; and Jack C. Thompson, 1975, Elements of Meteorology, s. 141-142)

We must remember that meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud
formation, structure and function, by using advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers
etc. It is evident that God has given us a piece of information that could not have been known
1,400 years ago.

(A) Isolated small pieces of clouds (cumulus

clouds)
(B) When the small clouds join together, updrafts
within the larger cloud increase, and so the cloud
is stacked up.

THE MOVEMENTS OF MOUNTAINS

In one verse, we are informed that mountains are not motionless as they seem, but are in constant
motion.
"You will see the mountains you reckoned to be solid going past like clouds." (The
Qur'an, 27:88)
This motion of the mountains is caused by the movement of the Earth's crust
that they are located on. The Earth's crust 'floats' over the mantle layer, which
is denser. It was at the beginning of the 20th century when, for the first time in
history, a German scientist by the name of Alfred Wegener proposed that the
continents of the earth had been attached together when it first formed, but
then drifted in different directions, and thus separated as they moved away
from each other.
Geologists understood that that Wegener was right only in the 1980s, 50 years
after his death. As Wegener pointed out in an article published in 1915, the land
masses on the earth were joined together about 500 million years ago. As
Wegener pointed out in a 1915 article, the land masses of the earth were joined together some 500
million years ago, and this large mass, called Pangaea, was located in the South Pole.
Approximately 180 million years ago, Pangaea divided into two parts, which drifted in different directions.
One of these giant continents was Gondwana, which included Africa, Australia, Antarctica and India. The
second one was Laurasia, which included Europe, North America and Asia, except for India. Over the next
150 million years following this separation, Gondwana and Laurasia divided into smaller parts.

These continents that emerged after the split of Pangaea have been constantly moving on the Earth's
surface at several centimetres per year, in the meantime changing the sea and land ratios of the Earth.
Discovered as a result of the geological research carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, this
movement of the Earth's crust is explained by scientists as follows:
The crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, with a thickness of about 100 kms., are divided into
segments called plates. There are six major plates, and several small ones. According to the theory called
plate tectonics, these plates move about on Earth, carrying continents and ocean floor with them.
Continental motion has been measured at from 1-5 cm per year. As the plates continue to move about,
this will produce a slow change in Earth's geography. Each year, for instance, the Atlantic Ocean becomes
slightly wider. (Carolyn Sheets, Robert Gardner, Samuel F. Howe; General Science, Allyn and Bacon Inc. Newton,
Massachusetts, 1985, s. 30)

There is a very important point to be stated here: God has referred to the motion of mountains as a
drifting action in the verse. Today, modern scientists also use the term "Continental Drift" for this motion.
(National Geographic Society, Powers of Nature, Washington D.C., 1978, s.12-13)

Unquestionably, it is one of the miracles of the Qur'an that this scientific fact, which has recently been
discovered by science, was announced in the Qur'an.

THE SECRET IN THE IRON

Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Qur'an. In Sura Hadid, meaning Iron, we
are informed:
"And We sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for
mankind...." (The Qur'an, 57:25)
Iron ingot
The word "sent down," particularly used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having
a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But when
we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being physically sent down from the
sky", we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle.
This is because modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come
from the giant stars in outer space.
The heavy metals in the universe are produced in the nuclei of big stars. Our solar system, however, does
not possess a suitable structure for producing iron on its own. Iron can only be produced in much bigger
stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of
iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and eventually it explodes in
what is called a "nova" or a "supernova". As a result of this explosion, meteors containing iron are
scattered around the universe, and they move through the void until attracted by the gravitational force
of a celestial body.
All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from exploding stars in space via
meteors, and was "sent down to earth", in exactly the same way as stated in the verse: It is clear that this
fact could not have been scientifically known in the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed.

PAIRS IN CREATION
"Glory be to Him Who created all the pairs: from what the earth produces and from themselves and from things
unknown to them." (The Qur'an, 36:36)
Although the concept of ''pair'' or "couple" commonly stands for male and female, the statement of ''from
things unknown to them'' has wider implications. Today, one of the implications of the verse has been
revealed. The British scientist Paul Dirac, who proposed that matter is created in pairs, was awarded the
Nobel Prize for physics in 1933. This discovery, called ''parit'', maintains that matter is paired with its
opposite: anti-matter. Anti-matter carries the opposite properties to matter. For instance, as opposed to
matter, the electron of anti-matter is positively charged and its protons are negatively charged. This fact
is stated in a scientific source in this way:
"...every particle has its antiparticle of opposite charge and the uncertainty relation tells us that pair
creation and pair annihilation happen in the vacuum at all times, in all places."
(http://www.2think.org/nothingness. html, Henning Genz Nothingness: The Science of Empty Space, p. 205)

BIG-BANG IS BORN
In its standard form, the big bang theory assumes that all parts of the universe began expanding
simultaneously. But how could all the different parts of the universe synchronize the beginning of their
expansion?
Who
gave
the
command?
Andre Linde, Professor of Cosmology 1

A century ago, the creation of the universe was a concept that

astronomers as a rule ignored. The reason was the general
acceptance of the idea that the universe existed in infinite time.
Examining the universe, scientists supposed that it was just a
conglomeration of matter and imagined that it had no
beginning. There was no moment of "creation"a moment when
the universe and everything in it came into being.
This idea of "eternal existence" fit in well with European notions
stemming from the philosophy of materialism.
This philosophy, originally advanced in the
world of the ancient Greeks, held that matter
was the only thing that existed in the universe
and the universe existed in infinite time and will exist endlessly. This philosophy
survived in different forms during Roman times but in the Late Roman Empire and
Middle Ages, materialism went into decline as a result of the influence of the Catholic
church and Christian philosophy. It was after Renaissance that materialism began to gain
broad acceptance among European scholars and scientists, largely because of their
devotion to ancient Greek philosophy.
It was Immanuel Kant who, during the European Enlightenment, reasserted and
defended materialism. Kant declared that the universe exists for all time and that every
probability, however unlikely, should be regarded as possible. Kant's followers continued
to defend his idea of an infinite universe along with materialism. By the beginning of
19th century, the idea that the universe had no beginningthat there was never any
moment at which it was createdbecame widely accepted. It was carried into the 20th
century through the works of dialectical materialists such as Karl Marx and Friedrich
Engels.
The German
This notion of an infinite universe fit in very well with atheism. It is not hard to see why.
philosopher
To hold that the universe had a beginning could imply that it was created and that, of
Immanuel Kant
course requires a creatorthat is, Allah. It was much more convenient and safer to
was the first
circumvent the issue by putting forward the idea that "the universe exists for eternity",
person to
even though there was not the slightest scientific basis for making such a claim.
advance the
assertion of
Georges Politzer, who espoused and defended this idea in his books published in the
"the infinite
early 20th century, was an ardent champion of both Marxism and materialism.
Putting his trust in the validity of the "infinite universe" model, Politzer opposed the idea universe" in the
New Age.
of creation in his book Principes Fondamentaux de Philosophie when he wrote:
Scientific
The universe was not a created object, if it were, then it would have to be created
discoveries,
instantaneously by God and brought into existence from nothing. To admit creation, one
however,
has to admit, in the first place, the existence of a moment when the universe did not
invalidated
Kant's
exist, and that something came out of nothingness. This is something to which science
assertion.
can not accede. 2
Politzer supposed that science was on his side in his defense of the idea of an infinite
universe. In fact, science was to prove that the universe indeed had a beginning. And
just as Politzer himself declared, if there is creation then there must also be a creator.
The Expansion of Universe and the Discovery of the Big Bang
The 1920s were important years in the development of modern astronomy. In 1922, the Russian physicist
Alexandra Friedman produced computations showing that the structure of the universe was not static and
that even a tiny impulse might be sufficient to cause the whole structure to expand or contract according
to Einstein's Theory of Relativity. George Lemaitre was the first to recognize what Friedman's work meant.
Based on these computations, the Belgian astronomer Lemaitre declared that the universe had a
beginning and that it was expanding as a result of something that had triggered it. He also stated that the
rate of radiation could be used as a measure of the aftermath of that "something".
The theoretical musings of these two scientists did not attract much attention and probably would have
been ignored except for new observational evidence that rocked the scientific world in 1929. That year
the American astronomer Edwin Hubble, working at the California Mount Wilson observatory, made one of
the most important discoveries in the history of astronomy. Observing a number of stars through his huge
telescope, he discovered that their light was shifted towards the red end of the spectrum and, crucially,
that this shift was directly related to the distance of the stars from Earth. This discovery shook the very
basis of the universe model held until then.
According to the recognized rules of physics, the spectra of light beams travelling towards the point of
observation tend towards violet while the spectra of light beams moving away from the point of

observation tend towards red. (Just like the fading of a train's whistle as it moves away from the observer)
Hubble's observation showed that according to this law, the heavenly bodies were moving away from us.
Before long, Hubble made another important discovery; The stars weren't just racing away from Earth;
they were racing away from each other as well. The only conclusion that could be derived from a universe
where everything moves away from everything else is that the universe constantly
"expands".
Hubble had found observational evidence for something that George Lemaitre had
"prophesized" a short while ago and one of the greatest minds of our age had recognized
almost fifteen years earlier. In 1915, Albert Einstein had concluded that the universe
could not be static because of calculations based on his recently-discovered theory of
relativity (thus anticipating the conclusions of Friedman and Lemaitre).
Shocked by his findings, Einstein added a "cosmological constant" to his equations in order
to "make the answer come out right" because astronomers assured him that the universe
was static and there was no other way to make his equations match such a model. Years
later, Einstein was to admit that his cosmological constant was the biggest mistake of his
career.
Hubble's discovery that the universe was expanding led to the emergence of another
model that needed no fiddling around with to make the equations work right. If the
universe was getting bigger as time advanced, going back in time meant that it was
getting smaller; and if one went back far enough, everything would shrink and converge at
a single point. The conclusion to be derived from this model was that at some time, all the
matter in the universe was compacted in a single point-mass that had "zero volume"
Edwin Hubble
discovered that because of its immense gravitational force. Our universe came into being as the result of
the universe
the explosion of this point-mass that had zero volume. This explosion has come to be
was expanding. called the "the Big Bang" and its existence has repeatedly been confirmed by
Eventually he
observational evidence.
found evidence
There was another truth that the Big Bang pointed to. To say that something has zero
of the "the Big
volume is tantamount to saying that it is "nothing". The whole universe was created
Bang", a
from this "nothing". And furthermore this universe had a beginning, contrary to the view
cataclysmic
of materialism, which holds that "the universe has existed for eternity".
event whose
discovery
forced
scientists to
abandon the
notion of an
infinite and
eternal
universe.

The "Steady-state" Hypothesis

The Big Bang theory quickly gained wide acceptance in the scientific world due to the
clear-cut evidence for it. Nevertheless astronomers who favored materialism and adhered
to the idea of an infinite universe that materialism seemingly demanded held out against
the Big Bang in their struggle to uphold a fundamental tenet of their ideology. The reason
was made clear by the English astronomer Arthur Eddington, who said "Philosophically, the
notion of an abrupt beginning to the present order of Nature is repugnant to me".3
Another astronomer who opposed the Big Bang theory was Fred Hoyle. Around the middle
of the 20th century he came up with a new model, which he called "steady-state", that was an extension
of the 19th century's idea of an infinite universe. Accepting the incontrovertible evidence that the
universe was expanding, he proposed that the universe was infinite in both dimension and time.
According to this model, as the universe expanded new matter was continuously coming into existence by
itself in just the right amount to keep the universe in a "steady state". With the sole visible aim of
supporting the dogma of "matter existed in infinite time", which is the basis of the materialist philosophy,
this theory was totally at variance with the "Big Bang theory", which defends that the universe had a
beginning. Supporters of Hoyle's steady state theory remained adamantly opposed to the Big Bang for
years. Science, however, was working against them.

Notes
1. Andrei Linde, "The Self-Reproducing Inflationary Universe", Scientific American, vol. 271, 1994, p. 48
2. George Politzer, Principes Fondamentaux de Philosophie, Editions Sociales, Paris 1954 ,p. 84
3. S. Jaki, Cosmos and Creator, Regnery Gateway, Chicago, 1980, p. 54

THE TRIUMPH OF THE BIG-BANG

In 1948, George Gamov carried George Lemaitre's calculations several steps further and came up with a
new idea concerning the Big Bang. If the universe was formed in a sudden, cataclysmic explosion, there
ought to be a definite amount of radiation left over from that explosion. This radiation should be
detectable and, furthermore, it should be uniform throughout the universe.
Within two decades, observational proof of Gamov's conjecture was forthcoming. In 1965, two researchers
by the name of Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson chanced upon a form of radiation hitherto unnoticed.
Called "cosmic background radiation", it was unlike anything coming from anywhere else in the universe
for it was extraordinarily uniform. It was neither localized nor did it have a definite source; instead, it was

distributed equally everywhere. It was soon realized that this radiation was the echo of the Big Bang, still
reverberating since the first moments of that great explosion. Gamov had been spot-on for the frequency
of the radiation was nearly the same value that scientists had predicted it would be. Penzias and Wilson
were awarded a Nobel prize for their discovery.

In 1989, George Smoot and his NASA team sent a satellite into space. Called the "Cosmic
Background Emission Explorer" (COBE), it took only eight minutes for the sensitive instruments
on board the satellite to detect and confirm the levels of radiation reported by Penzias and Wilson.
These results conclusively demonstrated the existence of the hot, dense form remaining from the
explosion out of which the universe came into being. Most scientists acknowledged that COBE had
successfully captured the remnants of the Big Bang.
More evidence for the Big Bang was forthcoming. One piece had to do with the relative amounts of
hydrogen and helium in the universe. Observations indicated that the mix of these two elements in the
universe was in accord with theoretical calculations of what should have been remained after the Big
Bang. That drove another stake into the heart of the steady state theory because if the universe had
existed for eternity and never had a beginning, all of its hydrogen should have been burned into helium.
Confronted by such evidence, the Big Bang gained the near-complete approval of the scientific world. In
an article in its October 1994 issue, Scientific American noted that the Big Bang model was the only one
that could account for the constant expansion of the universe and for other observational results.
Defending the Steady-State theory along with Fred Hoyle, Dennis Sciama describes their predicament in
the face of the evidence for the Big Bang saying that he had first taken a stand along with Hoyle but, as
evidence began to pile up, he had to admit that the game was over and that the steady-state theory had
to be dismissed.1
The cosmic
background radiation
discovered by
Penzias and Wilson is
regarded as
incontrovertible
evidence of the Big
Bang by the scientific
world.

Sir Arthur
Eddington's
statement that "the
notion of an abrupt
beginning to the
present order of
nature was
repugnant to him"
was an admission of
the discomfort that
the Big Bang caused
for materialists

Notes
1. Stephen Hawking, Evreni Kucaklayan Karinca, Alkim Publishing, 1993, p. 62-63

WHO IS THE CREATOR ?

Who Created the Universe From Nothing?

With this triumph of the Big Bang, the thesis of an "infinite universe", which forms the basis of materialist
dogma, was tossed onto the scrap-heap of history. But for materialists it also raised a couple of
inconvenient questions: What existed before the Big Bang? And what force could have caused the great
explosion that resulted in a universe that did not exist before?
Materialists like Arthur Eddington recognized that the answers to these questions could point to the
existence of a supreme creator and that they did not like. The atheist philosopher Anthony Flew
commented on this point:
Notoriously, confession is good for the soul. I will therefore begin by confessing that the Stratonician
atheist has to be embarrassed by the contemporary cosmological consensus. For it seems that
the cosmologists are providing a scientific proof of what St. Thomas contended could not be proved
philosophically; namely, that the universe had a beginning. So long as the universe can be comfortably
thought of as being not only without end but also beginning, it remains easy to urge that its brute
existence, and whatever are found to be its most fundamental features, should be accepted as the
explanatory ultimates. Although I believe that it remains still correct, it certainly is neither easy nor
comfortable to maintain this position in the face of the Big Bang story. 1
Many scientists who do not force themselves to be atheists accept and favor the existence of a creator
having an infinite power. For instance, the American astrophysicist Hugh Ross proposes a Creator of
universe, Who is above all physical dimensions as:
By definition, time is that dimension in which cause-and-effect phenomena take place. No time, no cause
and effect. If time's beginning is concurrent with the beginning of the universe, as the space-time

theorem says, then the cause of the universe must be some entity operating in a time dimension
completely independent of and pre-existent to the time dimension of the cosmos. It tells us that the
Creator is transcendent, operating beyond the dimensional limits of the universe. It tells us that God is not
the universe itself, nor is God contained within the universe.2
Objections to Creation and Why They are Flawed
It is patently obvious that the Big Bang means the creation of the universe out of nothing and this is
surely evidence of willful creation. Regarding this fact, some materialist astronomers and physicists have
tried to advance alternative explanations to oppose this reality. Mention has already been made of the
steady state theory and it was pointed out it was clung to, by those who were uncomfortable with the
notion of "creation from nothingness", despite all the evidence to the contrary in an attempt to shore up
their philosophy.
There are also a number of models that have been advanced by materialists who accept the Big Bang
theory but try to exorcise it of the notion of creation. One of these is the "oscillating" universe model;
another is the "quantum model of universe". Let us examine these theories and see why they are invalid.
The oscillating universe model was advanced by the astronomers who disliked the idea the Big Bang
was the beginning of the universe. In this model, it is claimed that the present expansion of the universe
will eventually be reversed at some point and begin to contract. This contraction will cause everything to
collapse into a single point that will then explode again, initiating a new round of expansion. This process,
they say, is repeated infinitely in time. This model also holds that the universe has experienced this
transformation an infinite number of times already and that it will continue to do so forever. In other
words, the universe exists for eternity but it expands and collapses at different intervals with a huge
explosion punctuating each cycle. The universe we live in is just one of those infinite universes going
through the same cycle.
This is nothing but a feeble attempt to accommodate the fact of the Big Bang to notions about an infinite
universe. The proposed scenario is unsupported by the results of scientific research over the last 15-20
years, which show that it is impossible for such an "oscillating" universe idea to come into being.
Furthermore the laws of physics offer no reason why a contracting universe should explode again after
collapsing into a single point: it ought to stay just as it is. Nor do they offer a reason why an expanding
universe should ever begin to contract in the first place.3
Even if we allow that there is some mechanism by which this cycle of contraction-explosion-expansion
does take place, the crucial point is that this cycle cannot go on for ever, as is claimed. Calculations for
this model show that each universe will transfer an amount of entropy to its successor. In other words, the
amount of useful energy available becomes less each time and every "opening" universe will open more
slowly and have a larger diameter. This will cause a much smaller universe to form the next time around
and so on, eventually petering out into nothing. Even if "open and close" universes can exist, they cannot
endure for eternity. At some point it becomes necessary for "something" to be created from "nothing".4
Put briefly, the "oscillating" universe model is a hopeless fantasy whose physical reality is impossible.
The "quantum model of universe" is another attempt to purge the Big Bang of its creationist
implications. Supporters of this model base it on the observations of quantum (subatomic) physics. In
quantum physics, it is to be observed that subatomic particles appear and disappear spontaneously in a
vacuum. Interpreting this observation as "matter can originate at quantum level, this is a property
pertaining to matter", some physicists try to explain the origination of matter from non-existence during
the creation of the universe as a "property pertaining to matter" and present it as a part of laws of nature.
In this model, our universe is interpreted as a subatomic particle in a bigger one.
However this syllogism is definitely out of question and in any case cannot explain how the universe came
into being. William Lane Craig, the author of The Big Bang: Theism and Atheism explains why:
A quantum mechanical vacuum spawning material particles is far from the ordinary idea of a "vacuum"
(meaning nothing). Rather, a quantum vacuum is a sea of continually forming and dissolving particles,
which borrow energy from the vacuum for their brief existence. This is not "nothing," and hence, material
particles do not come into being out of nothing.5
So in quantum physics, matter "does not exist when it was not before". What happens is that ambient
energy suddenly becomes matter and just as suddenly disappears becoming energy again. In short, there
is no condition of "existence from nothingness" as is claimed.
In physics, no less than in other branches of the sciences, there are atheist scientists who do not hesitate
to disguise the truth by overlooking critical points and details in their attempt to support the materialist
view and achieve their ends. For them, it is much more important to defend materialism and atheism than
to reveal scientific facts and realities.
In the face of the reality mentioned above, most scientists dismiss the quantum universe model. C. J.
Isham explains that "this model is not accepted widely because of the inherent difficulties that it poses."6
Even some of the originators of this idea, such as Brout and Spindel, have abandoned it.7
A recent and much-publicized version of the quantum universe model was advanced by the physicist
Stephen Hawking. In his book A Brief History of Time, Hawking states that the Big Bang doesn't
necessarily mean existence from nothingness. Instead of "no time" before the Big Bang, Hawking
proposed the concept of "imaginary time". According to Hawking, there was only a 10-43 second
"imaginary" time interval before the Big Bang took place and "real" time was formed after that.
Hawking's hope was just to ignore the reality of "timelessness" before the Big Bang by means of this
"imaginary" time.

Stephen Hawking also tries to

advance different explanations
for the Big Bang other than
Creation just as other
Materialist scientists do by
relying upon contradictions and
false
concepts.

As a concept, "imaginary time" is tantamount to zero or non-existencelike

the imaginary number of people in a room or the imaginary number of cars
on a road.
Stephen Hawking also tries to advance different explanations for the Big
Bang other than Creation just as other Materialist scientists do by relying
upon contradictions and false concepts.
Here Hawking is just playing with words. He claims that equations are right
when they are related to an imaginary time but in fact this has no
meaning. The mathematician Sir Herbert Dingle refers to the possibility of
faking imaginary things as real in math as:
In the language of mathematics we can tell lies as well as truths, and within the scope of mathematics
itself there is no possible way of telling one from the other. We can distinguish them only by experience or
by reasoning outside the mathematics, applied to the possible relation between the mathematical
solution and its physical correlate.8
To put it briefly, a mathematically imaginary or theoretical solution need not have a true or a real
consequence. Using a property exclusive to mathematics, Hawking produces hypotheses that are
unrelated to reality. But what reason could he have for doing this? It's easy to find the answer to that
question in his own words. Hawking admits that he prefers alternative universe models to the Big Bang
because the latter "hints at divine creation", which such models are designed to oppose.9
What all this shows is that alternative models to the Big Bang such as steady-state, the open and close
universe model, and quantum universe models in fact spring from the philosophical prejudices of
materialists. Scientific discoveries have demonstrated the reality of the Big Bang and can even explain
"existence from nothingness". And this is very strong evidence that the universe is created by Allah, a
point that materialists utterly reject.
An example of this opposition to the Big Bang is to be found in an essay by John Maddox, the editor of
Nature (a materialist magazine), that appeared in 1989. In "Down with the Big Bang", Maddox declares
the Big Bang to be philosophically unacceptable because it helps theologists by providing them with
strong support for their ideas. The author also predicted that the Big Bang would be disproved and
that support for it would disappear within a decade.10 Maddox can only have been even more
discomforted by the subsequent discoveries during the next ten years that have provided further
evidence of the existence of the Big Bang.
Some materialists do act with more common sense on this subject. The British Materialist H. P. Lipson
accepts the truth of creation, albeit "unpleasantly", when he says:
If living matter is not, then caused by the interplay of atoms, natural forces, and radiation, how has it
come into being?I think, however, that we mustadmit that the only acceptable explanation is
creation. I know that this is anathema to physicists, as indeed it is to me, but we must not reject that we
do not like if the experimental evidence supports it.11
In conclusion, the truth disclosed by science is this: Matter and time have been brought into being by an
independent possessor of immense power, by a Creator. Allah, the Possessor of almighty power,
knowledge and intelligence, has created the universe we live in.

Notes
1. Henry Margenau, Roy Abraham Vargesse. Cosmos, Bios, Theos. La Salle IL: Open Court Publishing, 1992, p. 241
2. Hugh Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos: How Greatest Scientific Discoveries of The Century Reveal God, Colorado: NavPress, revised
edition, 1995, p. 76
3. William Lane Craig, Cosmos and Creator, Origins & Design, Spring 1996, vol. 17, p. 19
4. William Lane Craig, Cosmos and Creator, Origins & Design, Spring 1996, vol. 17, p. 19
5. William Lane Craig, Cosmos and Creator, Origins & Design, Spring 1996, vol. 17, p. 20
6 Christopher Isham, "Space, Time and Quantum Cosmology", paper presented at the conference "God, Time and Modern Physics", March
1990, Origins & Design, Spring 1996, vol. 17, p. 27
7. R. Brout, Ph. Spindel, "Black Holes Dispute", Nature, vol 337, 1989, p. 216
8. Herbert Dingle, Science at the Crossroads, London: Martin Brian & O'Keefe, 1972, p. 31-32
9. StephenHawking, A Brief History of Time, New York: Bantam Books, 1988, p. 46
10. John Maddox, "Down with the Big Bang", Nature, vol. 340, 1989, p. 378
11. H. P. Lipson, "A Physicist Looks at Evolution", Physics Bulletin, vol. 138, 1980, p. 138

THE SIGNS OF THE QUR'AN

In addition to explaining the universe, the Big Bang model has

another important implication. As the quotation from Anthony
Flew cited above points out, science has proven an assertion
hitherto supported only by religious sources.
The truth that is defended by religious sources is the reality of
creation from nothingness. This has been declared in the holy
books that have served as guides for mankind for thousands of

years. In all holy books such as the Old Testament, New Testament, and the Qur'an, it is declared that the
universe and everything in it were created from nothingness by Allah.
In the only book revealed by Allah that has survived completely intact, the Qur'an, there are statements
about the creation of the universe from nothing as well as how this came about that are parallel to 20thcentury knowledge and yet were revealed fourteen centuries ago.
First of all, the creation of this universe from nothingness is revealed in the Qur'an as follows:
He(Allah) is the Originator of the heavens and the earth(Surat al-Anam: 101)
Another important aspect revealed in the Qur'an fourteen centuries before the modern discovery of the
Big Bang and findings related to it is that when it was created, the universe occupied a very tiny volume:
Do those who are disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were sewn together and then We
unstitched them and that We made from water every living thing? So will they not have faith? (Surat al-Anbiya':
30)
There is a very important choice of words in the original Arabic whose translation is given above. The
word ratk translated as "sewn to" means "mixed in each, blended" in Arabic dictionaries. It is used to
refer to two different substances that make up a whole. The phrase "we unstitched" is the verb fatk in
Arabic and implies that something comes into being by tearing apart or destroying the structure of ratk.
The sprouting of a seed from the soil is one of the actions to which this verb is applied.
Let us take a look at the verse again with this knowledge in mind. In the verse, sky and earth are at first
subject to the status of ratk. They are separated (fatk) with one coming out of the other. Intriguingly,
cosmologists speak of a "cosmic egg" that consisted of all the matter in the universe prior to the Big
Bang. In other words, all the heavens and earth were included in this egg in a condition of ratk. This
cosmic egg exploded violently causing its matter to fatk and in the process created the structure of the
whole universe.
Another truth revealed in the Qur'an is the expansion of the universe that was discovered in the late
1920s. Hubble's discovery of the red shift in the spectrum of starlight is revealed in the Qur'an as :
It is We Who have built the universe with (Our creative) power, and, verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it.
(Surat adh-Dhariyat: 47)
In short, the findings of modern science support the truth that is revealed in the Qur'an and not
materialist dogma. Materialists may claim this all to be "coincidence" but the plain fact is that the
universe came into being as a result of an act of creation on the part of Allah and the only true knowledge
about the origin of universe is to be found in the word of Allah as revealed.

THE BIG BANG ECHOES THROUGHT THE MAP OF THE GALAXY

In the two widest-ranging exercises on mapping the galaxies carried out to date, scientists have made
findings that offer serious support for the Big Bang theory. The results of the research were presented at
the winter conference of the American Astronomical Society.
The wide extent of the distribution of galaxies is evaluated by astrophysicists as one of the most
important legacies from the first phases of the universe to have come down to the present day. It is
therefore possible to refer to the information on the distribution and location of the galaxies as "a window
opening onto the history of the universe."
In their research that lasted several years, two independent teams, composed of British, Australian and
American scientists, produced a three-dimensional map of some 266,000 galaxies. The scientists
compared the data they collected on the distribution of the galaxies with the data for the Cosmic
Background Radiation emitted everywhere in the universe, and made important discoveries regarding
the origin of galaxies. Researchers analysing the data concluded that the
galaxies formed where matter that formed 350,000 years after the Big
Bang relatively clustered together, and then assumed their shape under
the influence of the force of gravity.
The findings in question confirmed the Big Bang theory, which states that
the universe began from the explosion of a single point of zero volume and
infinite density some 14 billion years ago. This theory has constantly been
confirmed by tests consisting of decades of astronomical observations,
and stands unrivalled on the most solid of foundations. The Big Bang is
accepted by the great majority of present-day astrophysicists, and
constitutes scientific verification of the fact that God created the universe
from nothing.

According to the Big Bang

theory, everything began
from the explosion of a point
of infinite density and zero
volume. As time passed,
space expanded and the gaps
between heavenly bodies
grew.

In its ten-year-long research, the Anglo-Australian Observatory in the

Australian state of New South Wales determined the positions in space of

221,000 galaxies by means of a three-dimensional mapping technique. The survey, which was performed
with a 3.9 metre diameter telescope at the observation post, was almost ten times larger than any
previous such study. (1) Under the leadership of Dr. Matthew Colless, director of the observatory, the
team of scientists first determined the position of galaxies relative to one another and the distances
between them. Then they modelled the distribution of the galaxies and studied the minute variations in
that model in great detail. The scientists offered their research for publication in the journal Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
In a similar study carried out by the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, USA, the positions of some
46,000 galaxies in another region of space were similarly mapped and their distribution was investigated.
The study, involving the use of a 2.5 metre diameter Sloan telescope,
was carried out under the leadership of Daniel Eisenstein of the
University of Arizona, and is to be published in the Astrophysical Journal.
(2)
The results obtained by the two groups were announced during the
winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society in San Diego,
California, USA on 11 January, 2005.

An Important Confirmation

Data obtained from the COBE

satellite in 1992 revealed
minute fluctuations in the
emission of Cosmic
Background Radiation.

The data obtained as the result of long and careful work confirmed
estimates made decades ago in the field of astronomy regarding the
origin of the galaxies. In the 1960s, theoreticians estimated that
galaxies may have seeded in regions where matter massed in a slightly higher concentration shortly
after the Big Bang. If that estimate is correct, then the seeds of the galaxies should be capable of being
observed in the form of tiny fluctuations in heat levels in the remains of radiation left over from the Big
Bang and known as Cosmic Background Radiation.
Cosmic Background Radiation is heat radiation that only began being emitted 350,000 years after the Big
Bang. This radiation, emitted everywhere in the universe, represents a snapshot of the 350,000-year-old
universe, and can be observed rather like a fossil in the present day. This radiation, first discovered in
1965, was recognised as definitive proof of the Big Bang with various studies and observations, and was
investigated in great detail. Data obtained from the COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) satellite in 1992
confirmed the estimates made in the 1960s and revealed that there were ripples in the Cosmic
Background Radiation. (3) Although at that time a partial link had been determined between these and
the formation of the galaxies, that link could not be definitely shown until now.
However, that important link was constructed in the latest studies. Colless and Eisenstein's teams
determined a match between the ripples seen in Cosmic Background Radiation and those in the
distances between galaxies. It was thus established that the galaxies seeded in places where matter that
emerged 350,000 years after the Big Bang concentrated in slightly higher densities.
At a press conference on the subject, Dr. Eisenstein said that the way galaxies are scattered across the
sky now corresponds to the sound waves that gave rise to that distribution. Researchers think that
gravity affected the waves and shaped the galaxies. Eisenstein made the following comment:
"We regard this as smoking-gun evidence that gravity has played the major role in growing from the
initial seeds in the microwave background (left over from the Big Bang) into the galaxies and clusters of
galaxies that we see around us." (4)
In a statement to the AAP news agency, Russell Cannon, from the other research team, noted that the
findings were of the greatest importance, and summarised the significance of the research in these
terms:
"What we've done is show the pattern of the galaxies, the distribution of the galaxies which we see here
and now, is completely consistent with this other pattern that's seen in remnants of the big bang" (5)
Findings were also obtained from the study regarding the levels of matter and energy that constitute the
universe, and the universe's geometrical form. According to these, the universe consists of 4% normal
matter, 25% dark matter (matter that cannot be observed but that is calculated to exist), and the rest of
dark energy (mysterious energy that leads to the universe expanding faster than expected). As for the
geometrical shape of the universe - it is flat.

Support for the Big Bang

The findings made in these studies have further strengthened the Big Bang theory. Dr. Cannon
said that the research added serious weight to the Big Bang theory about the origin of the
universe and emphasized that support in these words:
"We've known for a long time that the best theory for the universe is the Big Bang -- that it
started in some enormous explosion in a tiny space and it expanded ever since." (6)
In a comment regarding the studies, Sir Martin Rees, the well-known Cambridge University
astronomer, noted that despite using different statistical techniques and observations, the
teams had arrived at the same conclusion, and that he regarded this as an indication of the
results' accuracy. (7)
Sir
Martin
Rees

Physicsweb.org, one of the most important physical sciences portals on the Internet,
commented that the studies "provide further evidence for the standard big bang plus inflation
model of cosmology." (8)

Scientists learned that the universe had a beginning (Big Bang) and was expanding (Inflation) by reading
the radiation and heavenly bodies in space thanks to the possibilities of modern science. However, these
fundamental data are not at all new to mankind. Mankind has been reading these two facts, which
scientists were only able to read in the depths of space in the 20th century, in the Qur'an for the last
1,400 years.

Two Basic Pieces of Information about the Standard Cosmological Model Are
Provided in the Qur'an
In the Qur'an, and in the Torah and the Bible that were corrupted after their revelation, God has revealed
that the universe and all matter were created out of nothing; in the Qur'an, the only text that has not
been corrupted, He reveals one other miraculous secret that the universe is expanding.
The way the universe came into "being" from "non-being" is reported thus in the Qur'an:

He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. (Qur'an, 6:101)

The expansion of the universe, one of the main areas of research of modern science, is revealed in this
verse:

And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and it is We Who
are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)
As we have seen, two elements of the standard cosmological model, the Big Bang and Inflation, were
reported in the Qur'an at a time when the means of astronomical observation were very limited. This
represents clear proof that the Qur'an was revealed by God. The findings of modern science are in
complete agreement with what is related in the Qur'an, and these latest studies once again draw
attention to that close compatibility.

1- "Galaxy patterns reveal missing link to Big Bang," January 12, 2005, online at:
http://info.anu.edu.au/mac/Media/Media_Releases/_2005/_January/_120105redshift.asp
2- "Detection of the Baryon Acoustic Peak in the Large-Scale Correlation Function of SDSS Luminous Red
Galaxies", submitted to Astrophysical Journal on December 31st, 2004. See. Sloan Digital Sky Survey,
"THE COSMIC YARDSTICK--Sloan Digital Sky Survey astronomers measure role of dark matter, dark
energy and gravity in the distribution of galaxies," January 11, 2005, online at:

http://www.sdss.org/news/releases/20050111.yardstick.html
3- "Galaxy patterns reveal missing link to Big Bang", January 12, 2005
4- Deborah Zabarenko, "'Cosmological ruler' helps measure the universe," January 11, 2005, online at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=7297222
5- "Scientists Score Galaxy Breakthrough," AAP, January 13, 2005, online at:
http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/Scientists-Score-Galaxy-Breakthrough-39646.html
6- "Scientists Score Galaxy Breakthrough", AAP.
7- Maggie McKee, "Big bang sound waves explain galaxy clustering," NewScientist.com News Service,
January 12, 2005, online at: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6871; Mark Peplow, "Echoes of
Big Bang found in galaxies," News@nature.com, January 12, 2005, online at:
http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050110/full/050110-8.html
8- "Galaxy surveys put cosmology on sound footing," January 12, 2005, online at:
http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/1/7/1

WHY ARE CLIMATIC EVENTS SO IMPORTANT FOR LIFE?

Everywhere we look on this blue planet we inhabit, we see enormous vivacity, variety and magnificence. We see very
different plants and even human races on each of its continents. There is no doubt that these things are manifestations
of the variety in Almighty As creation and of our Lords title of As-Sani (the Artist, the Creator of great beauty in artistry).
But because the world is a place of test, Almighty Allah has created all things by way of natural causes. One of these
causes underlying the variety of life on Earth is climate.
Scientifically, climate is described as the combined effect of atmospheric factors upon a particular location. God has
made the atmosphere the most important element in determining climate.
Scientific experiments have proved that there can be no life where there is no atmosphere. The atmosphere is made up
of 79% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.03% carbon dioxide and trace amounts of gasses such as helium, neon, krypton and
argon. It also contains water vapour and various organic and inorganic substances. Through these features of the
atmosphere, Almighty Allah had made the earth a place capable of sustaining life.
The Atmospheres Effects on Climate
Adhering to the planet because of the force of gravity, this state of the atmosphere means it is never static. On the
contrary, the atmosphere has exhibited great dynamism since the day it was created. Although the Earths surface has
cooled recently, the effect of the Sun continues to be felt. For that reason, the activity in the atmosphere linked to the
effect of the Sun emerges as various climate phenomena such as heat, rain and winds.
Another noteworthy point is that despite the considerable activity of the atmosphere, its thickness and mass on the
Earths surface are the same everywhere. Such a state of affairs cannot be accounted for in terms of chance. The
regular order in the existence on Earth is not possible unless there is a governing power to regulate it. Almighty Allah,
Creator of all things, has revealed that He maintains the Earth and Sky under His dominion and control: Allah keeps a
firm hold on the heavens and earth, preventing them from vanishing away. And if they vanished no one could
then keep hold of them. Certainly He is Most Forbearing, Ever-Forgiving. (Surah Fatir, 41)
As we know, much of the heat given off by the Suns rays as they reach the Earth is retained by the atmosphere. This
phenomenon gives rise to atmospheric warming. At night, part of that retained heat is lost. The point of note here is that
not all the heat retained by the atmosphere disappears. This filtering effect of the atmosphere prevents excessive heat
or cold. If the days were very hot and the nights bitterly cold, then life would be even harder than it is in deserts.
Allah Created the Seas and Land in Specific Proportions
The structural differences between the seas and the land cause the oceans and dry land to warm up and cool down at
different rates. The sea warms and cools down again relatively later than the land, making the seas more heat-retentive.
This softens the harsher climatic features of the land. In addition, because of the moisture bearing characteristics of the
seas, they represent a means by which rain falls. Almighty Allah reveals the following about the winds in another verse:
He Who guides you in the darkness of land and sea and sends out the winds bringing advance news of His mercy. Is
there another god besides Allah? May Allah be exalted above what they associate with Him! (Surat an-Naml, 63)
Another impact of the seas on climate is the hot and cold ocean currents. In theory, the oceans at higher latitudes
should be cool and those at lower latitudes warm. But because of the different ocean currents affecting to coastal
regions, they may have very different climate types despite being on the same latitude.
Allah Has Created Surface Forms in Such a Way as to Influence Air Masses
Land masses have different shapes and protrusions. The air becomes cooler as the high one goes on these surface
bodies. The temperature drops by 10 degrees centigrade every 250 metres. That is why even if all the conditions
between sea level and mountains and plateaus remain the same, there are still significant temperature differences.
Thanks to the way that temperatures fall as altitude rises, settlement areas have been founded at high elevations in
warm latitudes. Like so settled areas in the Andes in South America are more than 1,000 metres high. In one verse of
the Quran, Almighty Allah reveals that He has made the mountains shelters and shirts for us: He has made shelters for
you in the mountains and He has made shirts for you to protect you from the heat and shirts to protect you from each
others violence. In that way He perfects His blessing on you so that hopefully you will become Muslims. (Surat anNahl, 81)
Mountain slopes facing the sea receive more rain than those facing interior regions. That is because moist masses of air
from the sea cool down as they rise along the slopes, and as they cool down the water vapour they contain condenses
and falls to earth in the form of rain. That is why mountainsides facing the sea have moderate, wet climates, while those

facing land masses have dry climates as they are unable to benefit from this moisture.
Climates Are Manifestations of Allahs Titles of the Compassionate and Merciful
Solar energy and geographic factors are essential in the emergence of climates on Earth. Solar energy controls the
winds, temperature, rainfall and the movement of air masses, while geographic factors impact on climate by way of the
surface forms of the seas and land. All these factors operate on the climate in a most complex manner. But this complex
work never results in chaos. On the contrary, as a result of a chain of interconnected phenomena there is an order
operating according to specific laws in all regions and even districts. That is because Allah, the Compassionate and
Merciful (Whose goodness, mercy and will act on all of creation, Who imparts countless blessings without distinguishing
between those whom He loves and those whom He does not), manifests His compassion and blessings in all things,
visible or invisible. Human beings are able to live together with these visible and invisible blessings that have submitted
to Allah. There is no doubt that the diversity stemming from the climate functioning within a specific order is the result of
Allah maintaining all living things and all phenomena under His supervision. Our Lords absolute dominion over the
universe is revealed as follows in a verse from the Quran: He directs the whole affair from heaven to earth. Then
it will again ascend to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by the way you measure. (Surat asSajda, 5)
Geographic Factors Created for the Determination of Climate
How Does the Shape of the Earth Affect Climate?
Because the Earth is spherical in shape, the areas between the Poles and the Equator benefit from solar energy to
different extents over the year. Those areas on the Equator receive the highest levels of solar energy, and that energy
declines towards the Poles. The temperatures of atmospheric masses thus differ as one moves from the Equator to the
Poles.
Those regions between the Equator and the Tropics receive more solar energy over the course of the year, and are
therefore hotter, thus giving rise to the Warm Tropical Belt. Those areas between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
and the Poles are cooler because they receive less solar energy, and these are known as the Moderate Belt. Those
areas around the Poles have a larger surface area to warm because they lie at a sharper angle than other zones, and
this gives rise to polar climatic conditions.
If the Earth did not have such a shape, there would not be so many different climatic regions, and each would not have
its own life forms and human beings with unique life styles. Indeed, one can see how climate affects human beings in
everything, from the food they eat to the shelters they erect. In the Poles, where Eskimos live, people live in homes
called igloos and wear clothes made from thick fur. In the continent of Africa these are replaced by dwellings made from
tree branches and leaves and very thin clothing.
Why Is the Earths Orbit around the Sun and Its Angle So Important?
The Earths orbit around the Sun and its angle of inclination to it of 23.5 degrees have a major impact on climate.
- Were it not for the Earths orbit around the Sun, there would be no seasons. One side of the world would live in
permanent summer, and the other in endless winter.
- Were it not for this angle of 23.5 degrees, the Equator would heat up excessively because the Suns rays would
always arrive at the same angle, and the Polar Regions would be in constant darkness. That means the Equator would
be very hot and bright, and the Poles very dark and cold. There could be no diversity of life under either condition, and
those animals and plants living at the Poles could never increase due to the cold since no animal offspring could ever
withstand the harsh conditions and constant winter darkness and cold. In short, the world would look very different, and
might even not be able to sustain any life at all.
A number of automatic systems regulate the temperature in the Earths atmosphere. For example, when a region heats
up, water vapour levels rise and clouds form. These clouds reflect some of the rays from the Sun and thus prevent
further heating of the ground and air beneath them.
The rich climatic features on Earth, the ice-covered continent of Antarctica is home to living beings such as polar bears
and penguins, the continent of Africa is home to lions and huge elephants, Australia is inhabited by kangaroos and koala
bears, while creatures such as lamas and jaguars live in South America. The same variety of life also applies to plants.
Polar Regions have the tundra, home to seaweeds and lichens, while the equatorial belt is full of rain forests that are
home to thousands upon thousands of different species.
Different Pressure Belts Enrich Climate Types
There are two low and two high pressure centres in the northern and summer hemispheres. These pressure belts have
a significant effect on the local climate. The most important effect of pressure is the winds. The moist air masses
forming over the seas produce plentiful rainfall as they move with ease to low pressure areas. In contrast, since there
are no air currents operating from the seas (low pressure centres) to high pressure areas in interior regions, these
regions receive little rainfall. This characteristic regulates regions rainfall and relative humidity factors.
If the pressure systems were not different to one another, winds would not form and it would be impossible for wet and
dry air masses to move. In the lack of even the slightest air movement, regions would either be very dry or else receive
huge amounts of rain.
If the pressure centre in the land and sea were always low, then moisture laden air masses would always move inland
and constant rainfall, floods and landslides would be inevitable.
If the pressure over the land were always high, then land masses would receive no rain at all, and the land would
become covered in desert. By the will of Almighty Allah, however, the wind, rain and the pressure centres over the land
and sea are so balanced as to benefit all living things.