The Day of Resurrection : Resurrection

‘Armageddon’, ‘Deep Impact’, ‘End of Days’, the list goes on and on, all though these movies differ in a number of ways, they all have a common plot that depicts an ‘end of the world’ scenario.  In the most part, skepticism and mockery play a large role in these blockbuster movies, but the fact that each movie of this nature sells so well and becomes a hit is proof that people are intrigued by the afterlife.  So, what does the future hold?  To the majority, ‘once you’re dead, you’re dead’ is the common belief, but is this really the case?  Does life cease after death, or is it just an initial step leading to another?

True Justice

Justice, equality, individuality at best can be described as hollow slogans preached by democracy, rarely implemented in Western society.  These terms only attain full meaning with belief in the afterlife, for in this life, we see that crimes go unchecked, unfair judgments are handed down and criminals walk free!  Even in cases were a killer is convicted of a heinous crime, he may escape the death penalty, for it is only reserved for the most ‘culpable’ offenders (such as killers and their accomplices) as was the case of Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer who terrorized America in the late 70s and early 80s.  He presumably killed 30 to 100 people.  His death via electric chair was quite painless in comparison to the agony he put each of his victims through.  According to Christianity, regardless of this man’s ill doings, since he was a ‘believer’ in God, he will be forgiven as per the Doctrine of Atonement.  But is this true justice?

In Islam, no one will go scot-free; all will be held accountable for their transgression in a higher court of law, wherein no one is wronged and all are given proper sentences.  God, Almighty, tells us:

“And the Book (one’s Record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer in the Oneness of God, and in the left hand for a disbeliever in the Oneness of God), and you will see the criminal sinners, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein.  They will say: “Woe to us!  What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!”  And they will find all that they did placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.” (Quran 18:49)

If a person was wronged and did not see true justice or saw only partial justice, God will restore to him his rights on that Day.  The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“The rights shall be returned to the proper individuals on the Day of Resurrection, even to the detail of the just retribution of the broken horned sheep from the two horned sheep who had hit it.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Muslims firmly believe in life after death, we are reminded time and time again of this reality by God, the Exalted.  He says:

“O you who believe!  Fear God and keep your duty to Him.  And let every person look to what he has sent forth for tomorrow, and fear God.  Verily, God is All-Aware of what you do.” (Quran 59:18)

Journey into the Afterlife

Death is but a phase in a series of phases, it is the beginning of one’s journey to the afterlife.  Death, or the cessation of life functions, occurs when one’s soul leaves the body.  This is a very painful experience.  God, Almighty, tells us:

“And the pangs of death will come in truth: “This is what you have been avoiding!” (Quran 50:19)

As the soul departs the body, the person will stare at it, and his eyes will follow it.  The Prophet said:

“One will follow the path of the soul visually as it leaves his body.” (Saheeh Muslim)

The soul will then begin its journey up to the heavens; for a believer permission would be sought for the gates of heaven to be opened and the gates would be opened till it reaches the seventh heaven, whereby God says:

“Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.” (Quran 20:55)

It would then be returned to the body.  As for the non-believer, permission would be sought for the gates of the lowest heaven to be opened, but the angels refuse and it will be cast back to earth.  God, Almighty, tells us:

“Verily, those who belie Our Signs and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle.  Thus do We recompense the criminal sinners.” (Quran 7:40)

Thereafter, one will remain in either continuous bliss or punishment in the grave until the Final Hour is established.

The Day of Resurrection

Nearing the end of time, the trumpet will be blown and creation will cease to exist.  God, Almighty, says:

“And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom God wills.” (Quran 39:68)

It will be blown a second blowing, and all creation from the beginning of time till the end of time will be resurrected.  God, the Exalted, tells us:

“And the Trumpet will be blown (i.e.  the second blowing) and behold!  From the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord.” (Quran 36:51)

People will be standing naked, barefooted and uncircumcised.  The Prophet described to us what will happen, he said: “You will be gathered, barefooted, naked, and uncircumcised (as God says):

“As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it.” (Quran 21:104)

The first human being to be dressed on the Day of Resurrection will be Prophet Abraham, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Just lately, the news was filled with stories of the war criminal Slobodan Milošević and how he ‘prematurely’ died without being served justice.  Even if he were convicted of his crimes by the Hague, what just punishment could possibly be served?  On the same notion, how many have been able to bribe a judge or an entire justice system?  It’s just too often that we hear of a judge or attorney being arrested on corruption charges.

The Justice system of the Hereafter is flawless and absolutely just.  No judgment can be overturned by a jury nor can it be influenced by any individual!

The Resurrection

The great Companion, Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“You will be summoned on the Day of Resurrection bare-footed, naked and uncircumcised.”

He then read the words of God:

“As We began the first creation, We will repeat it.  [That is] a promise binding upon Us.  Indeed, We will do it.” (Quran 21:104)

“The first person to be dressed on that day will be Prophet Abraham.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, exclaimed: “Men and women both!  Won’t they all look at each other?”  The Prophet said:

“The situation they are in is so grim that they would have no time for this!” (Saheeh Muslim)

As humankind awaits the decree of Almighty God, they would be standing under the sun, which would be brought close to them.  Al-Miqdad b. al-Aswad, one of the Companions, said: ‘I heard the Messenger of God saying:

“The sun will be a distance of a mile from the creation on the Day of Resurrection.  People will sink in their perspiration according to their deeds.  Some would sink in their perspiration till their ankles, while others would sink in it to their thighs and waists; yet others, would sink in it till their mouths!”‘ (Saheeh Muslim)

If anyone of us, today, was to sweat on a sunny day, they wouldn’t be able to wait to hit the showers… the Day of Resurrection will be 50 000 years long.  The Prophet said:

“That day will be 50 000 years long, after which a person will be admitted into Paradise or cast into Hell.” (Abu Dawood)

Peoples’ hearts will be pounding, not knowing what would become of them.  God describes to us the horrors of that day.  He says:

“On the Day you see it every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe.” (Quran 22:2)

Even the believers who believed in truth will be severely worried.  God says:

“And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.” (Quran 23:60)

Aishah, may God be pleased with her, said: “Are they those who drink liquor, and steal?”  The Prophet answered:

“No, Aishah, they are the ones who fast, pray and give out in charity, but are fearful that their deeds would not be accepted from them.” (Saheeh Muslim)

The Intercession

As humankind waits, some would exclaim, ‘Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord!’  The people would then go to Adam and say:

‘You are the father of all the people, and Allah created you with His Own Hands, and ordered the Angels to prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all things; so please intercede for us with your Lord, so that He may relieve us from this place of ours.’

He would say: ‘I am not fit for this (i.e. intercession for you).’

Adam would remember his sin and feel ashamed thereof.  He would then say, ‘Go to Noah, for he was the first Messenger, God sent to the inhabitants of the Earth.’ 

He would say: ‘I am not fit for this undertaking!’

He will remember his appeal to his Lord to do what he had no knowledge of, then he will feel ashamed thereof and would say,

‘Go to the Khalil ur-Rahman (i.e. Abraham, the One whom God chose for His love).’

They will go to him and he will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking.  Go to Moses, the slave to whom God spoke (directly) and gave him the Torah.’

So they will go to him and he will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking,’ and he will mention (his) killing a person who was not a killer, and so he will feel ashamed thereof before his Lord, and he will say, ‘Go to Jesus, God’s Slave, His Messenger and God’s Word and a Spirit coming from Him.’

Jesus will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking, go to Muhammad the Slave of God whose past and future sins were forgiven by God.’

Prophet Muhammad then said: ‘They will come to me and I will proceed till I will ask my Lord’s Permission and I will be given permission.  When I see my Lord, I will fall down in Prostration and He will let me remain in that state as long as He wishes and then I will be addressed.’ [Muhammad!] Raise your head.  Ask, and your request will be granted; say, and your saying will be listened to; intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’

I will raise my head and praise God with a saying (i.e. invocation) He will teach me, and then I will intercede.  He will fix a limit for me [to intercede for] whom I will admit into the Paradise.  Then I will come back again to God, and when I see my Lord, the same thing will happen to me.  And then I will intercede and God will fix a limit for me to intercede whom I will let into the Heavenly Abode, then I will come back for the third time; and then I will come back for the fourth time, and will say, ‘None remains in Hell but those whom the Quran has imprisoned [in Hell] and who have been destined to an eternal stay in Hell.’” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Distribution of Records

After the agonizing wait and the Prophet’s intercession, people’s records of deeds will be handed out.  God says:

“Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will be judged with an easy account and return to his people in happiness.  But as for he who is given his record behind his back, he will cry out for destruction and [enter to] burn in a Blaze.” (Quran 84:7-12)

This is further clarified by God in the following verses: 

“So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, ‘Here, read my record!  Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.’ So he will be in a pleasant life –        In an elevated Garden, its [fruit] to be picked hanging near.  [They will be told], ‘Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past.’ But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, ‘Oh, I wish I had not been given my record And had not known what is my account.  I wish it [i.e., my death] had been the decisive one.  My wealth has not availed me.  Gone from me is my authority.’ [God will say], ‘Seize him and shackle him.  Then into Hellfire drive him.  Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.’ Indeed, he did not used to believe in God, the Most Great, nor did he encourage the feeding of the poor.  So there is not for him here this Day any devoted friend.  Nor any food except from the discharge of wounds; none will eat it except the sinners.” (Quran 69:19-37)

The Scales of Justice

Everyone’s deeds will be weighed in actual scale and if the good outweighs the evil, they will be successful but if the opposite happens they will be among the losers.

God says: “And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all.  And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth.  And sufficient are We as accountant.”

- islamreligion.com

Islamic Sources: Quran and Sunnah

The ultimate manifestation of God’s grace for man, the ultimate wisdom, and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the word of God.  This is how the German scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described the Quran.  If one were to ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely they would offer similar words.  The Quran, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable Word of God.  It was revealed by God Almighty through Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  The Prophet himself had no role in authoring the Quran, he was merely a Messenger, repeating the dictates of the Divine Creator:

“He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire.  It is no less than an Inspiration sent down to him.” (Quran 53:3-4)

The Quran was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad, over a period of twenty-three years.  It is composed in a style so unique, that it cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both.  The Quran is inimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied, and God Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he thinks he can:

“Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be you speak the truth.” (Quran 10:38)

The Quran’s language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-Muslim scholar noted, “it was like the cadence of my heartbeat”.  Due to its unique style of language, the Quran is not only highly readable, but also relatively easy to remember.  This latter aspect has played an important role not only in the Quran’s preservation, but in the spiritual life of Muslims as well.  God Himself declares,

“And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember; then is there anyone that will receive admonition?” (Quran 54:17)

One of the most important characteristics of the Quran is that it remains today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has remained free from any and all adulterations.  Sir William Muir noted, “There is probably in the world no other book which has remained (fourteen) centuries with so pure a text.” The Quran was written down during the lifetime and under the supervision of the Prophet, who himself was unlettered.  Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is its preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God’s promise:

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will assuredly guard it from corruption.” (Quran 15:9)        

The Quran is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and intellectual nourishment he/she craves.  Its major themes include the oneness of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the Hereafter and its significance.  The Quran also lays a heavy emphasis upon reason and understanding.  In these spheres of human understanding, the Quran goes beyond just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to reflect. Unlike other scriptures, there are Quranic challenges and prophecies. It is as well full of facts that have only recently been discovered; One of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the discovery of significant amount of scientific information in the Quran, including the event of the Big Bang, embryological data, and other information concerning astronomy biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has not been borne out by modern discoveries.  In short, the Quran fulfils the heart, the soul, and the mind.  Perhaps the best description of the Quran was given by Ali, the cousin of Prophet Muhammad when he expounded upon it as,

“The Book of God.  In it is the record of what was before you, the judgment of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will come after you.  It is decisive, not a case for levity.  Whoever is a tyrant and ignores the Quran will be destroyed by God.  Whoever seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided.  The Quran is the unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance full of wisdom and the straight path.  The Quran does not become distorted by tongues;  nor can it be deviated by caprices. It never dulls from repeated study; scholars will always want more of it.  The wonders of the Quran are never ending.  Whoever speaks from it will speak the truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and whoever holds fast to it will be guided to the straight path.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Sunnah

The term Sunnah comes from the root word sanna, which means to pave the way or make a path easily passable, such that it becomes a commonly followed way by everyone afterwards.  Thus Sunnah can be used to describe a street or road or path on which people, animals, and cars travel.  Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e.  the law that they brought and taught as an explanation or further clarification of a divinely revealed book.  Normally, the prophetic way includes references to his sayings, actions, physical features and character traits.

From the Islaamic standpoint, Sunnah refers to anything narrated or related about the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, authentically traced to him regarding his speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals.

Each narration is composed of two parts: the isnad and the matn.  The isnad refers to a chain of people who narrated a particular narration.  The matn is the actual text of the narration.  The isnad must comprise upright and sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.

The Speech of Prophet Muhammad

The speech of Prophet Muhammad refers to his sayings.  For example, he said:

“Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded according to his/her intention.  So whoever migrates for the sake of God and His Prophet then his migration will be noted as a migration for the sake of God and His Prophet.  Conversely, one who migrates only to obtain something worldly or to marry a woman, then his migration will be worth what he had intended.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet also said:

“Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, should say something good or keep quiet.”

The above two accounts clearly show that the Prophet spoke these words.  Consequently, these are known as his speech.

The Actions of Prophet Muhammad

His actions pertain to anything he did, as authentically reported by the Sahabah (Companions).  For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever the Prophet got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a tooth-stick.  Also Aishah reported that the Prophet loved to do everything starting with the right side - putting on shoes, walking, cleaning himself, and in all his affairs generally.

The Silent Approvals of Prophet Muhammad

His silent approvals on different issues meant his not opposing or minding what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions.  On one occasion, for example, the Prophet learned of actions of some of his Companions from other Companions.  Soon after the battle of Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad gave the order to the Companions to move quickly to the tribe of Banu Quraydah, encouraging them to hurry so that perhaps they would pray Asr (the late afternoon prayer) there.  Some of the Companions of the Prophet responded immediately and left without praying Asr.  They arrived after sunset, pitched camp and prayed Asr- after sunset.  At the same time, another group of Companions formulated their judgment differently.  They thought that the Prophet was merely encouraging them to hasten to their destination, rather than to delay Asr until after sunset.  Consequently, they decided to stay in Madinah until they had prayed Asr.  Immediately thereafter, they hastened towards the tribe of Banu Quraydhah.  When the Prophet was told of how each group responded differently to his announcement, he affirmed both judgments.

Physical and Moral Traits of Prophet Muhammad

Everything authentically narrated concerning the Prophet’s complexion and the rest of his physical features is also included in the definition of Sunnah.  Umm Ma’bad described what she saw of the great Prophet.  She said:

“I saw a man, his face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or too fat, elegant and handsome.  His eyes had a deep black hue with long eyelashes.  His voice was pleasant and his neck long.  He had a thick beard.  His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and connected to each other.  In silence, he remained dignified, commanding utmost awe and respect.  When he spoke, his speech was brilliant.  Of all people he was the most handsome and the most pleasant, even when approaching from a distance.  In person, he was unique and most admirable.  Graced with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate.  His logical arguments were well organized as though they were a string of gems.  He was not too tall or too short, but exactly in between.  Among three, he appeared the most radiant and most vibrant.  He had companions who affectionately honored him.  When he spoke, they listened to him attentively.  When he gave orders, they were quick to execute them.  They rallied around him guarding him.  He never frowned or spoke frivolously.” (Hakim)

Along with his physical features, his Companions also described his habits and behavior with people.  Once Anas reported:

“I served the Prophet of Allah, upon him be peace, for ten years. During that time, he never once said to me as much as ‘Oof’ if I did something wrong. He never asked me, if I had failed to do something, ‘Why did you not do it?,’ and he never said to me, if I had done something wrong, ‘Why did you do it?’”

From the above we can clearly see that when the term Sunnah appears in a general context referring to Prophet Muhammad it comprises anything narrated about the Prophet and authentically traced to him.  Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration, he/she is obliged to follow and obey it accordingly.  Such obedience is mandated by God as He declares:

“...and obey God and His Prophet and do not turn away when you hear (him speak).” (Quran 8:20)

At times, some Muslims are perplexed when people say that Sunnah is something only recommended and is not mandatory.  Thus they conclude that we are only required to follow the Qur’an and not the Sunnah.  Such an argument results from a gross misunderstanding.  Scholars of Islaamic jurisprudence use the term Sunnah to denote what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad in deeds which were not subsequently made mandatory by God.

They further hold that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad where he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and compliments those who uphold such attributes.  Thus to them, the term Sunnah refers to what is “recommended” and is not mandatory (fard or wajib).

From the above, we can clearly see that the term Sunnah takes on different meanings when used by different Islaamic disciplines.

- islamreligion.com

The Family in Islam in Brief

 

The family, which is the basic unit of civilization, is now disintegrating.  Islam’s family system brings the rights of the husband, wife, children, and relatives into a fine equilibrium.  It nourishes unselfish behavior, generosity, and love in the framework of a well-organized family system.  The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued, and it is seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members.  A harmonious social order is created by the existence of extended families and by treasuring children. - islamreligion.com

Islam Enters the Far East

 

While conflict was an integral part in the spread of Islam in the Middle East this was not the case in China or Southeast Asia.  In this part of the world Islam meandered along following well-established trade routes.  It is said that the first Muslim to visit China was Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, who was the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  It is thought that he arrived in Canton (Guangzhou) in 627 CE.  In 651 CE Sa’d visited China for the third time to set up an embassy.  The Tang Emperor, Gaozong, received the envoy and ordered the construction of the Memorial mosque in Canton.  Thus Canton (Guangzhou) became one of the first Muslim settlements in China. 

The first Arab traders to reach China had travelled along the Southern Silk Road, a maritime route that brought an intense exchange in ideas, goods and people.  Although western academia debates when Islam arrived in China, Prophet Muhammad and his companions certainly would have been aware of China and the Chinese aware of the events taking place outside their area. 

Further north, along the Central Asian Silk Road, that went from the Middle East through Central Asia to China via Samarqand, Kashgar and Xi’an, a similar exchange took place.  It brought an increasing number of Turkic and Persian populations eager to convert others to the new religion coming out of the Middle East.  Many of the Muslims who visited China settled and married local women which helped to foster closer ties.  And then hundreds of years later countless Muslims migrated to China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), when whole populations shifted across the vast Mongol Empire.

A detailed account of the arrival of Islam and settlement of Muslims in China can be found here: https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/486/viewall/islam-in-china/

Today, although Muslims make up less than two percent of the population, there are more than 20 million Muslims in China. Ten of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities are Muslim. According to government figures, there are 35 thousand Islamic places of worship and 45 thousand imams in China.[1]  However even after 1400 years Muslims who are culturally Chinese must justify their devotion to One God to their skeptical non-Muslim neighbors and do so in an increasingly intrusive state.

Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. Islam is the most widely practiced religion with more than 240 million adherents. Just how did Islam spread into Indonesia and Malaysia?  It travelled on the monsoon winds, and with the Arab traders who carried God’s message.  Indonesia now has a Muslim population of 88% and Malaysia has a Muslim population of 61.3%.[2]

Spread across a chain of 17 to 18 thousand islands Indonesia lies between Asia and Australia.  It has the world's largest Muslim population and Southeast Asia's biggest economy.  Indonesia stretches along the equator and 922 of its islands are permanently inhabited.  The country's strategic position fostered inter-island and international trade which in turn fundamentally shaped Indonesian history.

According to early accounts from the Abbasid caliphate, the Indonesian archipelago was famous among Muslim sailors due to its abundance of precious spice trade commodities such as nutmeg, cloves and galangal.  Arab traders had settled there by the 13th century CE and the gravestone of Sultan Malik Al-Saleh, dated 1297 CE, is one of the oldest Islamic inscriptions to be found in Indonesia.[3]  This indicates that the first ruler of Samudra, a Sumatran state, was Muslim.  Furthermore, and supplying more verifiable evidence for early Islam in Indonesia, famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo stopped in northern Sumatra on his way back to Europe from China in 1292.[4] He visited an Islamic town named Perlak.  Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited the same town in 1345-46 and wrote that its monarch was a Sunni Muslim.[5]

Islam spread into the Indonesian islands slowly via one of two routes.  The native people came into contact with Islam and converted, or foreign Muslims, from India, China and the Middle East, visited Indonesia and settled there mixing in with the local communities.  It seems that the new comers did not force their own customs and culture on the local populations but instead adopted their local culture while introducing the Oneness of God and the requirements of the Shariah.  Islam was carried from island to island. Each time the inhabitants of an island accepted Islam; they then worked hard to convert others.

Particular consideration should be given to Aceh and Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607–1636) the twelfth Sultan of Aceh who took the kingdom to its most powerful level and instigated interaction with the Ottoman Empire.[6]  In the first half of the seventeenth century Aceh was the dominant economic and political power of the region. It captured and controlled the northern half of the Malay Peninsula and northern and parts of central Sumatra.[7]

The entire Malay Archipelago was at one time known as Malaysia; however, a geographically reduced Malaysia emerged out of the territories colonized by Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  In 1963 parts of Malaysia, to the east and the west united into one country. Western Malaysia stretches from the Thai border to the island of Singapore and is on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.  The territories of Sabah and Sarawak separated by the country of Brunei, on the north end of Borneo, make up the area known as Eastern Malaysia.[8]

Bountiful natural resources such as tin, camphor, brazilwood, ebony and gold can be found in Malaysia’s interior.[9] Thus through the ages, ships have used the coast of the peninsula to dock and transact business.  Trade on the Strait of Malacca helped to create economic links between China, India and the Middle East, and thus Islam slipped effortlessly down the archipelago with Arab, Persian and Indian traders who controlled business in the area. It was a peaceful conquest.

The name Malacca comes from the Arabic word Malakut. An Arab trading post had been established in the 8th Century CE and Islam spread throughout the Malay Peninsula in the same way it spread in Indonesia; either the local inhabitants were attracted to and embraced Islam, or traders decided to settle in the area. 

By the time the Spanish and Portuguese arrived in the early 16th century, Islam was firmly established in Southeast Asia. It continued to develop in the 17th century, when Arab traders and scholars purposefully migrated to the area. European powers, or trading companies representing them, began to encroach on the region, establishing themselves as participants in its economic and political life. Despite colonialism by the 19th century Southeast Asia had established itself as an important part of the Muslim world.

- islamreligion.com

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Footnotes:

[1]The Religious Policy of China.  https://www.muslim2china.com/MuslimInfo/Religious-Policy-of-China.html

[2]The Muslim Population of Indonesia. Pew Research Centre.
http://www.pewforum.org/2010/11/04/muslim-population-of-indonesia/
Malaysia Demographics Profile 2018 - IndexMundi
https://www.indexmundi.com/malaysia/demographics_profile.html

[3]Ancient Southeast Asia. John Norman Miksic & Goh Geok Yian Taylor & Francis, 2016 p497

[4]The explorer Marco Polo. http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/200504/the.explorer.marco.polo.htm

[5]Indonesia - THE COMING OF ISLAM - Country Studies
http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/5.htm

[6]Architecture and the Politics of Identity in Indonesia.  Izziah Hasan 2009
https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/65554/8/02whole.pdf

[7]Islam in South East Asia. P 21
https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/islam-islam-southeast-asia

[8]Countries and their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Malaysia.html

[9]http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Malaysia/sub5_4a/entry-3615.html

The Miraculous Quran : Scientific Miracles

 

Scientific Miracles of the Quran

The “scientific miracles” of the Quran is a topic that many people are talking about nowadays, as the research in many fields continues.  The source for this is probably the fact that there are literally hundreds of verses of the Quran in which God points to different aspects of this creation and encourages humans to reflect and learn from what they are seeing.

Shortly after I became Muslim, I became aware of Maurice Bucaille’s The Bible, the Quran and Science.  For the sake of brevity, I wish to share with you the important conclusions that he reached:

The Quran follows on from the two Revelations that preceded it and is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, the sign of the various human manipulations to be found in the Gospels, but provides a quality all of its own for those who examine it objectively and in the light of science i.e. its complete agreement with modern scientific data.  What is more, statements are to be found in it (as has been shown) that are connected with science: and yet it is unthinkable that a man of Muhammad's time could have been the author of them.  Modern scientific knowledge therefore allows us to understand certain verses of the Quran which, until now, it has been impossible to interpret.

In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad's day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man.  It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.[1]

In his discussion of the Quran, Bucaille emphasizes three important points:

a)First, there is nothing in the Quran that contradicts modern science;

b)second, there is no mention of some of the false beliefs that people had at that time of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, concerning the creation, the universe and science in general; and,

c)three, there is no way that the Prophet Muhammad could have known at his time many of the facts alluded to in the Quran.

For the sake of brevity, though, it will be possible to discuss only one verse in some detail here demonstrating the “scientific miracles” of the Quran.[2]

Upon reading the Quran, one topic that catches many a reader’s eye is the discussion of the creation of the human within the womb of the mother.  God says in the Quran:

“We created man from an extract of clay.  Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed.  Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into mudghah (chewed-like substance)…” (Quran 23:12-14)

This brief passage is outstanding in its precise description of the actual process as well as its freedom from all of the incorrect theories and views that were prevalent at the time of Muhammad.  As noted in the translation, the Arabic word alaqah can imply leech, suspended thing or blood clot.  In reality, all of these terms are descriptive of the embryo.  In fact, in its earliest stage, the embryo not only actually physically looks like a leech[3] but it “obtains nourishment from the blood of the mother, similar to the leech, which feeds on the blood of others.”[4] Alaqah, again, can also mean, “suspended thing,” which is also true of the embryo in this stage as it sits hanging in the womb of the mother.[5]  Finally, alaqah can also mean blood clot.  Again, the relationship to the actual physical process is miraculous.  Ibrahim writes:

We find that the external appearance of the embryo and its sacs during the alaqah stage is similar to that of a blood clot.  This is due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage… Also, during this stage, the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week.  Thus, the embryo as this stage is like a blood clot.[6]

The verse states that the next stage is that of a mudghah or “chewed-like substance.”  This is also an amazingly accurate description of the next embryonic stage.  At this stage, the embryo develops somites at its back and these “somewhat resemble teeth marks in a chewed substance.”[7]

The kind of information described above has only been “discovered” and seen by humans since the development of powerful microscopes.  Ibrahim notes that Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first to observe human sperm cells, in 1677 due to the help of an improved microscope.[8]  This took place some 1000 years after the time of the Prophet Muhammad.

In fact, the details and the analysis of the Quranic verses related to embryology are so great that Keith Moore, Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, has included them in a special edition of his textbook The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology.[9]  This is an interesting work that is comprised of Moore’s complete textbook with insertions describing some of the same topics from the point of view of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet.  After discussing advanced topics in embryology—most of which are the result of research in the past few decades—this textbook would then have pages inserted describing what the Quran has stated concerning the same issues.  Can you imagine taking the best medical book from even just 200 years ago and doing something of this nature? It would be absurd and ludicrous as the material of the old textbook would be completely irrelevant.  However, they could do this with the Quran, a book that does not even claim to be a medical textbook.  Of course, it has a much stronger claim: it claims it is from God.

Commenting on the miraculous consistency between statements in the Quran and the historical development of Embryology, Dr. Moore stated in 1981, “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development.  It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.  This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God.”[10]

In fact, the Quran touches upon many sciences other than embryology, such as astronomy, physics, geography, geology, oceanography, biology, botany, zoology, medicine and physiology.[11]  Thus, numerous other scientists from various fields have made similar conclusions concerning the Quran.[12]

How could it be that this illiterate man of some fourteen hundred years ago, the Prophet Muhammad, produced a book of this nature having so many scientific facts and details with perfect accuracy in it? Could it have been the case that this was all a coincidence and that the Prophet was an imposter? At least in my opinion, the answers to questions like these were very clear.  Indeed, the claim that the Quran is not a revelation from God becomes more and more difficult to hold once one learns more about the Quran itself.

Incidentally, there are other historically related miraculous aspects of the Quran.  For example, as opposed to the Bible, the Quran refers to the ruler at the time of Joseph as a “king” and never refers to him as a Pharaoh, although that term is used in the Bible in the story of Joseph, and the Quran uses that term in the story of Moses.  It seems, from the best of what can be determined now, that Joseph lived among the Semitic Hyksos kings of Egypt and that his ruler was indeed not a Pharaoh.[13]  The Quran also makes it clear that the body of the Pharaoh of the Exodus would be recovered and preserved.[14]  Now, it is considered that all of the Pharaohs of that time have actually been preserved as mummies, something the Prophet also could not have known at that time.  This has led two researchers to state:

If the Holy Quran was derived from the Bible [as some people falsely claim, then] those many Biblical errors would have passed into it.  Why, for instance, would the Holy Quran describe the Israelites as a small nation when the Bible claims that they were 2-3 million, an enormously inflated number that no scholar would accept?... Why did the Holy Quran not go along the Biblical, and indeed logical belief that Pharaoh was swallowed by the sea, to state instead that Pharaoh’s “body” was rescued? And why would the Holy Quran say this about Pharaoh in particular but not about other people who were also destroyed by God?...[15]

Finally, Muslim scholars have noted that the particular miracle given to each prophet was related to issues that their people were most fascinated with.  Thus, for example, during the time of Moses, sorcery was very popular, and one of his signs was directly related to outdoing the weak tricks of humans.  During Jesus time, medicine was a popular issue and some of Jesus’ signs included healing the sick, raising the dead and so on.  The Arabs at the time were very proud of their literary skills and, as shall be noted shortly, the Quran is an Arabic masterpiece beyond what they could match.  However, the Prophet Muhammad was not sent only to the Arabs or only to the people of his century.  In this day and age, science has practically become a “god” to replace the traditional God of the Judeo-Christian tradition.  The Prophet Muhammad’s miracle is actually completely relevant to the field of science that captivates so many people today, once again indicating that the Prophet Muhammad was truly a prophet for all of humanity until the Day of Judgment.

- islamreligion.com

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Footnotes:

[1]Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, the Quran and Science (Indianapolis, IN: American Trust Publications, 1978), pp. 251-252.

[2]For more details concerning the different stages of human development, the interested reader may also consult Keith L. Moore, Abdul-Majeed A. Zindani and Mustafa A. Ahmed, Quran and Modern Science: Correlation Studies (Bridgeview, IL: Islamic Academy for Scientific Research, 1990), pp. 15-47.

[3]See I. A. Ibrahim, p. 7, Figure 1.

[4]I. A. Ibrahim, p. 6.

[5]See I. A. Ibrahim, p. 7, Figure 2.

[6]Ibrahim, p. 8.

[7]Quoted by Ibrahim, p. 8, from Moore and Persaud, The Developing Human, 5th ed., p. 8. Also see Ibrahim’s figures on page 9.

[8]Ibrahim, pp. 8-10.

[9]See Keith L. Moore [along with Abdul-Majeed Azzindani], The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology [with Islamic Additions: Correlation Studies with Quran and Hadith] Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Dar al-Qiblah for Islamic Literature, 1983, in conjunction with W. B. Saunders Company.

[10]Quoted in I. A. Ibrahim, A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam (Houston: Darussalam, 1997), p. 10.

[11]For examples concerning these different fields, see Zakir Naik, “The Quran and Modern Science: Compatible or Incompatible?”  www.ahya.org.

[12]See I. A. Ibrahim, A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam (Houston: Darussalam, 1997), pp. 10ff. This work, in its entirety, is available at www.islam-guide.com. Ibrahim reviews and summarizes the conclusions of Moore and a number of others.

[13]For more details on this point, see Louay Fatoohi and Shetha al-Dargazelli, History Testifies to the Infallibility of the Quran: Early History of the Children of Israel (Delhi, India: Adam Publishers & Distributors, 1999), pp. 81-93.

[14]God says, “So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you!  And verily, many among mankind are heedless of signs” (Yoonus 10:92). For more on this point, see Fatoohi and al-Dargazelli, pp. 141-145.

[15]Fatoohi and al-Dargazelli, pp. 247-248.