Lecture
(Duration – 1 hour 18 minutes)
Chairman: I would like to welcome to the stage our next speaker Dr. Zakir Naik speaking on the subject the Qur’an and Modern Science – Compatible or Incompatible.’ I would like to give you now a brief introduction of Dr. Zakir Naik. And truly it is a brief introduction because there is too much to be said.
He is a medical doctor by professional training and a renowned dynamic international orator on Islam and comparative religion. He is the President of Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai and clarifies Islamic view points clearing misconceptions about Islam using the Qur’an, Authentic hadith and other religious scriptures as a basis in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts. He has completed all of this study and preparation by the age now of 41, still young but Shaikh. He is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging question posed by audiences after his public talks.
In the last 10 years Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 1000 public talks in the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Guiana and South America and many other countries in addition to numerous public talks here in India.
He has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr. William Campbell from United States of America on the topic ‘The Qur’an and the Bible in the Light of Science’ was held in Chicago, United States of America in April of 2000 was a resounding success by the grace of Allah. Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative religion who had called Dr. Zakir Naik ‘Deedat Plus’ in 1994. Presented a plaque in May of 2000 with the engraving Awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Dawah and a study of comparative religion.
“Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhumdulillah” To end the quote of Ahmed Deedat.
Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international television channels in more than 200 countries of the world. He is regularly invited to TV and radio interviews. More than a 100 of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on DVDs, VCDs, video cassettes, audio cassettes and he has authored several books on Islam and comparative religion. Ladies and Gentlemen without foot in the way I would like to welcome Dr. Zakir Naik, President of the Islamic Research Foundation.
Dr Zakir Naik: Alhumdulillah, was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi wa ajma’een, amma baad. A’uzu billahi minash shaytan nir-rajeem, Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem,
'Awalam Yaral Ladhina Kafaru 'Annas Samawati Wal 'Arda Kaanata Ratqan Fafataqnahuma Wa Ja`alna Minal Maa'i Kulla Shay'in Hayyin 'Afala Yu'uminun
Rabbish rahli Şadri Wa Yassir Li 'Amri Wa Ahlul `Uqdatan Min Lisani Yafqahu Qawli
My respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters, I welcome all of you with the Islamic greetings, "Assalamu Alaikum, Wa Rahmatullahi, Wa Barkatahu", "May Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allah (swt) of Almighty God, be on all of you".
The topic of this evening’s talk of mine is,
“The Qur’an and Modern Science: Compatible or Incompatible?”
The Glorious Qur'an is the last and final revelation of Allah (swt), of Almighty God which was revealed to the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). For any book to claim that it is the word of God, for any book to claim that it is the revelation from Allah (swt), it should stand the test of time. Previously hundreds and thousands of year’s back it was the age of Miracles. And Alhumdulillah the Glorious Qur’an is the Miracle or Miracles. Later on, more than thousand years back it was the age of literature and poetry when the Qur’an was revealed. And Alhumdulillah, Muslims and Non-Muslims scholars alike they acclaim the Glorious Qur’an to be the best Arabic literature available on the face of the earth.
And Allah (swt) gives the challenge in the Glorious Qur’an, in Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter.No.2, Verse.No.23 and 24, which says,
“Wa in kuntum fi Raibim mimma Nazzalna alaa abdina”
“And if you are in doubt, as what we have revealed to our servant, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from time to time.”
“Fa’too bi Sooratim mim mislihi”
“Then produce a Surah some what similar to it.”
“Wad’oo Shuhadaa’a kum min doonillahi in Kuntum Saadiqeen”
“And call forth your helpers and witnesses if there are any besides Allah. If your doubts are but true.”
“F ail lam taf’aloo”
“And if ye cannot.”
“Wa lan taf’aloo”
“And of a surety you cannot.”
“Fat’taqun Naaral latee wa qoodu han naasu wal hijaara U’iddat lil Kaafireen”
“Then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones’ which is prepared for those who reject faith.”
Here the Qur’an gives a challenge, that try and produce a Surah some what similar to it. And the shortest Surah is hardly three verses, hardly few words. No one has done it so far and no one InshaAllah till eternity will ever be able to do it. But today suppose a religious scripture in a very poetic fashion says that the world is flat. Will a modern man believe in it? But natural no, because today is not the age of literature and poetry. Today is the age of science and technology. So let us analyze today whether this Glorious Qur'an is compatible or incompatible to modern science. Whether does it pass the test of today, the test of modern science?
According to Albert Einstein, the famous physicist, and the Nobel Prize winner, he said, that “Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind”. Let me repeat it that Albert Einstein, the famous physicist, and the Nobel Prize winner said that “Science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind”. Let me remind you that the Glorious Qur'an is not a ‘Book of Science’, S-C-I-E-N-C-E; but it is a book of ‘Signs’, S-I-G-N-S; it's a book of Ayaats. And there are more than 6000 Ayaats, 6000 Signs, in the Glorious Qur'an, out of which more than a thousand speak about Science.
As far as my talk today is concerned I will be only speaking about scientific facts which have been established. I will not be speaking about scientific theories and hypothesis which all of us know very well, that many a times these theories and hypothesis they take U-turns.
In the field of Astronomy, in 1973, there were a couple of scientists who got Noble Prize. And these couple of scientists they described the creation of the universe and they called it the Big Bang. And they said, that initially our universe it was a ‘Primary Nebula’ then there was a Big Bang. There was a secondary separation which gave rise to galaxies, the stars, the planets, the Sun, the Moon and the earth on which we live. This they called as the Big Bang.
The Glorious Qur'an mentions this in a nut shell, 1400 years ago, in Surah Anbiya, Chapter.No.21, Verse.No.30, the Ayaah I started my talk with and it says.
“Awalam Yaral Ladhina Kafaru”
”Do not the unbelievers see”
“Annas Samawati Wal 'Arda Kaanata Ratqan Fafataqnahuma”
That
“The heavens and the earth were joined together, and We clove them asunder?’”
This verse of the Glorious Qur'an speaks about the Big Bang, in a nutshell, 1400 years ago which science has discovered recently, hardly 30 years back, 35 years back.
The Qur'an Glorious says in Surah Fussilat, Chapter.No.41, Verse.No.11,
“Moreover He Comprehended in His design the sky when it was smoke and said to it and earth: "Come ye together willingly or unwillingly." And they said: "We come in willing obedience."
Allah (swt) says that He said to the sky when it was smoke coming ye together along with the earth willingly or unwillingly? And they said we come together in willing obedience.
Today the scientist they tell us that initially the celestial matter of the universe, it was in the form of Gas. And the Arabic word used in this verse of Surah Fussilat, Chapter.No.41, Verse.No.11, is ‘Dukhan’, ‘Dukhan’ does not merely means Gas, it specifically means ‘Smoke’. And today’s scientist say that smoke is a more closer and more scientific as compared to Gas, because that time it was hot. Imagine the Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago which we discovered recently. That the initial celestial matter of the universe, it was in the form of Smoke.
Previously the human beings we thought that the earth on which we live it is flat. It was in 1577, Sir Francis Drake when he sailed around the earth he proved that the earth was spherical.
Qur'an mentions in Surah Luqman, Chapter.No.31, Verse.No.29,
“It is Allah (swt) who merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night”
“Alam tara annAllaha Yoolijul Layla fin Nahari wa Yoolijun Nahaara fil Lail”
“It is Allah (swt) who merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night”
Merging is a gradual and slow process. The night slowly and gradually merges into the day and the day slowly and gradually merges into the night. If the earth was flat there would have been a sudden change. It would not have been a gradual process of night merging into the day. And day merging into the night.
Allah gives the similar message in Surah Az Zumar, Chapter.No.39, Verse.No.5,
“It is Allah (swt) who overlaps the Night unto the Day and overlaps the Day unto the Night”
The Arabic word used here is, ‘Kawwara’ which means to overlap or coil. So the Qur’an says it is Allah (swt) who overlaps or coils the night unto the day and overlaps or coils the day unto the night. Coiling, the word ‘Kawwara’ is used how you coil a turban unto your head. So this overlapping and coiling of the night unto the day and the day unto the night is only possible if the shape of the earth was spherical. If it was flat it was not possible.
And Allah further says in Surah Naziat, Chapter.No.79, Verse.No.30,
‘We have made the earth as an expanse. And We have made the earth egg-shaped’.
“Wal Arda Ba’da Dhalika Dahaha”
Wal Arda Ba’da Dhalika Dahaha means and then we made the earth egg shaped. One of the meanings of ‘Dahaha’ is, an expanse and the other meaning of the Arabic word ‘Dahaha’ it is derived from the Arabic word ‘Duhya’ which means an egg.
And we know today that the earth on which we live is not completely round like a ball. It is Geo Spherical in shape. It is flattened from the pole and it is bulging from the centre. And the Arabic word ‘Duhya’ doesn’t mean a normal egg it specifically means the Egg of an Ostrich. And if we analyze the shape of the Egg of an Ostrich - it too is Geo-Spherical in shape. Imagine the Glorious Qur'an mentions 1400 years ago that the shape of the earth is geo-spherical. It does not say spherical only. It specifically mentions like the egg of an ostrich.
Previously the scientist they thought that the light of the Moon, was it’s own light. But Qur'an says in Surah Furqan, Chapter.No.25, Verse No.61,
“Blessed is He i.e. Allah SWT who has made the constellations in the sky, and placed therein Sun i.e. a lamp having its own light, and Moon having borrowed light’.
The Arabic word used for the Sun in the Qur’an, it is ‘Shams’. And its light is always described as ‘Siraj’, Wahaj’ or Diya’, which means a torch having a light of its own or a blazing lamp, or a shining glory. Always the light of the Sun is described as ‘Wahaj’, ‘Siraj’, or ‘Diya’ meaning a light of its own. The Arabic word for Moon is ‘Qamar’. And its light is described as ‘Munir’ or ‘Noor’, meaning borrowed light or a reflected light. There is not a single place in the Qur’an where the light of the moon is described as its own light.
And the Arabic word for Star is ‘Najm'. And its light is described as ‘Saqib’. Meaning the light by the time it reaches the earth it looses its brightness like a piercing brightness. The bright light by the time it reaches it consumes itself.
And this message that the Sun has its own light. Describing as ‘Wahaj’, ‘Siraj’ or ‘Diya’ and the Moon having borrowed light that’s Munir or reflection of light, Noor is mentioned in several other places in the Qur’an, including Surah Yunus, Chapter.No.10, Verse.No.5, as well as Surah Nooh, Chapter.No.71, Verse.No.15 and 16.
And the Qur’an says in Surah Tariq Chapter.No.86, Verse.No.3 that
“Wan Najmus Saaqib”
Describing the star, its light as ‘Saqib’ that means it pierces. It’s of piercing darkness.
Previously, the European scientist, they believed that the Earth was the centre of the Solar system and the Universe and all the planets as well as the Moon and the Sun, it revolved around the earth. This was called as 'Geocentricism'. And this was believed since the time of Ptolemy, in the second century BC, till as late as 16th century, until Nicholas Copernicus in 1512, he propounded the ‘Heliocentric’ theory of the planetary motion and he said, it is the Sun which is the centre of the Solar system. And all the planets as well as the earth it revolves around the Sun. And later on, a German scientist by the name of Yuhannas Kepler in 1609, he wrote in his book by the name of ‘Astronomia Nova’ that not only do the planets and the earth they revolve around the Sun, but they also rotate about their own axis.
And when I was in school, I passed my school in 1982 about more than 25 years back; there I too read that the planets and earth they revolve around the Sun. And the planets and earth they rotated about their own axis. And the whole solar system also in the galaxy, it revolved, including the Sun but the Sun did not rotate about its own axis. In this context the Sun was stationery.
But when I read the verse of the Qur’an in Surah Al-Anbiya, Chapter.No.21, Verse.No.33, which says:
“Huwal Ladhi Khalaqal Layla Wan Nahara”
“It is Allah who has created the night and the day”
“Wash Shamsa Wal Qamar”
“The Sun and the Moon”
“Kullun Fi Falakin Yasbahun.”
“Each one traveling in orbit, with its own motion’”
So the Qur’an says the Sun and the Moon besides revolving they also rotate about their own axis.
The Arabic word used here is ‘Yasbahoon’, derived from the Arabic word ‘Sabaha’, which describes the motion of a moving body. If I use this Arabic word ‘Yasbaha’ for a person moving on the floor, it will not mean that he is rolling - it will mean he is either walking or running. If I use this same word, for a person in the water, it will not mean he is floating, it will mean he is swimming. Similarly, when Allah (swt) uses this same word for a celestial body, it does not mean, that it is flying in the air, it means, it is moving along with its own rotation. It is rotating about its own axis. So Qur’an says, the Sun and the Moon besides revolving it also rotates about its own axis. And today science has discovered that even the Sun rotates. Since we can’t see the Sun directly. You’ll get blinded if you see directly. If we have an equipment, and have the image of the Sun on the table top, we find that there are spots in the Sun and it takes about 25 days for the spots to complete one rotation - indicating that the Sun takes approximately 25 days to complete one rotation. Imagine when I was in school I was thought that the Sun was stationary it didn’t rotate about its own axis & the Qur'an mentions 1400 years ago that it rotates. And now, Alhumdulillah, most of the schools have incorporated that the Sun also rotates.
Further we read in the Qur’an, it’s mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Yasin, Chapter.No.36, Verse.No.40,
“It is not permitted for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor the Night to outstrip the Day” The Moon & the Sun
“Wa Qullun fi falaki Yasbahoon”
“Each one traveling in orbit, with its own motion”
Now the scientists say that the orbit of the Sun and the Moon is different. So there’s no question of the Sun overtaking the Moon. That’s what the Qur’an says.
And today the scientists, they tell us that the Sun is moving in a direction in the Universe to a particular fixed direction which is called as the Solar Apex. In the constellation of Hercules also know as Alpha Lyrae, at a speed of 12 miles per second. And today the scientist they tell us that the Sun light we have is due to a chemical reaction which is taking place since billions of years and one day this chemical reaction will cease and so will the light of the Sun cease to exist. And so will the life on this earth cease to exist. But the scientists say it will take another few billion years.
Qur’an gives a similar message in Surah Yasin, Chapter.No.36, Verse.No.38,
“Wash Shamsu tajree li Mustaqar ril laha”
That
“The Sun is running its course for a period determined, to a place determined’.
The Arabic word used here is, ‘Mustaqar’, which has two meanings. Either it means for a period determined or it means to a place determined. And today science says that the Sun is moving to a particular spot know as Solar Apex and it will exist for a particular time period. So both the meanings of ‘Mustaqar’, to a place determined and for a period determined, according to science is perfect. Imagine the Qur’an mentions this, 1400 years ago.
When I was in school, I’d learnt that there are 3 types of matter Solid, Liquid & Gas. And previously the scientists believed that the space outside the astronomical systems in the galaxy it was vacuum. Lately, the scientists have discovered that there are bridges of matter in the interstellar space, Its not vacuum & it is called as Plasma, and they say this matter, was in the form of gaseous matter which has equal number of positive ions as well as electrons
And the Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago in Surah Furqan, Chapter.No.25, Verse.No.59,
“It is Allah (swt) who has created heavens and the earth as well as things in between it.”
So Qur’an says, there is matter in between the heavens and the earth. Which today’s science they say that this Plasma can be considered as the fourth type of matter.
Today science also tells us that the atmosphere of the earth, it acts like a filter and prevents the harmful radiation from outer space to come on to the surface of the earth. It prevents the X-rays and Ultra violet rays to reach the surface of the earth which is very important for the sustenance of life. If this filter of the earth’s atmosphere wasn’t there, then life would not exist on the face of the earth.
The Qur’an says in Surah Anbiya, Chapter.No.21, Verse.No.32, that,
“We have made the sky as a protected ceiling”
“We have made the heavens” The Arabic word is ‘Samawaat’
“We have made the heavens, that’s the Sky as a canopy well-guarded”
Today science has come to know that this protected sealing without this life would have ceased to exist on the face of the earth.
It was in 1925, a very famous scientist by the name of Edwin Hubble & a famous astronomer, he said that the Galaxies are receding. That means the universe is expanding.
The Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago in Surah Dhaariyaat, Chapter.No.51, Verse. No. 47, that
“We have created the vastness of space”
The Arabic word ‘Musioona’ means, vastness or the expanding universe.
So the Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago that the universe is expanding. Which we have come to know recently. 80 years back, 90 years back.
And according to Stephen Hawking, who’s a very famous scientist, he writes in his book, ‘The Brief History of Time’. He says that the discovery of the expanding universe is the greatest discovery of this century. Which is mentioned in the Qur’an 14 Centuries before.
There may be skeptics or some Non Muslims who will say, “It is nothing great that the Qur'an speaks about Astronomy, since the Arabs were very well advanced in the field of Astronomy.” I do agree with them that the Arabs were advanced in the field of Astronomy. But I would like to remind them, it was centuries after the Qur'an was revealed that the Arabs advanced in the field of Astronomy. So it is from the Qur'an, that the Arabs learnt about Astronomy, and not the vice versa. And there were many things about Astronomy mentioned in the Qur’an which the Arabs didn’t speak about and which we have come to know recently.
In the field of Physics, several centuries ago there was a theory which was called as ‘Atomism’. This was advanced by the Greeks, especially the Democrats who lived 2300 years before. And according to this theory of ‘Atomism’, ‘Atom’ is the smallest part of matter. And this was also known to the Arabs - and the Arabic word for atom, in Arabic it is called as ‘Zarra’. And the Arabs also agreed that the smallest part of matter, nothing can be smaller than that. And if you read the Qur’an, the Qur’an too speaks about the Atom. Now after science has advanced, in the field of Physics we agree that ‘Atom’ is the smallest particle of matter, having the characteristic of the element but an Atom too can be divided. So does it mean that the Qur’an is outdated?
Qur'an says in Surah Saba, Chapter.No.34, Verse.No.3 as well as in Surah Yunus, Chapter.No.10, Verse.No.61, that,
“When they say, i.e. the unbelievers, that the final hour will never come - tell them… it will surely come by the Lord in whose knowledge is the unseen, and in whose record, is the smallest detail of an atom. And there is nothing smaller or greater than the Atom which is not there without being mentioned in his record clearly that’s perspicuous”
So the Qur'an says that Allah has the knowledge of the unseen. The minutest details of the Atom is mentioned. And even things greater and smaller than the Atom is very clearly mentioned in his record. So the Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago that there are things smaller than the atom. Which science has discovered recently.
In the field of Hydrology, we learn about the water cycle in the school. The water cycle what we learn in the school was first described in 1580 by Sir Bernard Palissy. And we learnt in school that the water evaporates from the ocean. It forms into clouds, the clouds move, they rise, they condense and the water falls and flows back into the ocean and the water cycle is completed.
Previously in 7th century B.C., Thales of Miletus – he said, “it was the spray of the ocean which was picked up by the winds, which fell into the interior as rain”. People did not know how did the rain fall in 7th century B.C., Thales of Miletus – he said, “it was the spray of the ocean which was picked up by the winds, and fell into the interior as rain people did not know from where did the underground water come.
And people believed even at the time of Plato, that when the water fell, this water flowed by a secret passage into the ocean called as ‘Tartarus’. People did not know from where did the underground water come. So they thought it was the pressure of the winds on the water which forced the water into the interior. And even till as late as 17th century, people and great thinkers like Descartes believed in this theory. Even in 19th century, people believed in the Aristotle’s Theory, that the water evaporated from the earth, and cooled in mountain caverns which fed the springs. Today we know that the underground water is due to the seepage of the rain water.
And Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Zumur, Ch. No. 39, Verse No 21,
“Sees’t not thou that it is Allah (swt) who sends down water from the sky and causes it to soak in the grounds, causes springs in the grounds, and then causes sown seed of various colors to grow”
Qur’an mentions in Surah Rum, Chapter.No.30, Verse.No.24,
“It is Allah who sends down water from the sky and then gives life to the earth after it is dead.”
The Qur'an says in Surah Mu’minun, Chapter.No.23, Verse.No.18,
“It is We who send down water from the sky and We can store it and We can even drain it easily.”
The Qur'an says in Surah Al-Hijr, Chapter.No.15, Verse.No.22, that,
“We cause the fecundating winds”
The Arabic word used is 'Lawaaqi' which is the plural of ‘Laqaha’ derived from ‘Laqih’ which means to fecundate, which means to impregnate. We cause fecundating winds, We cause winds to impregnate and then the water falls from the sky. And today we know that science tells us that the pollen is picked up by the winds and it impregnates the clouds. And the second type is the clouds, they joined together, then there is lightning and water falls from the sky.
A similar message of Hydrology and Water Cycle is mentioned in Surah Noor.Ch. No. 24, Verse No. 43,
“It is Allah who makes the clouds to move gently & then causes them to join & then makes them into a heap and then water emerges from the sky”
Qur’an says in Surah Rum, Ch.30, Verse No 48. that
“It is Allah Who makes the clouds to rise then makes them into fragments and then water falls from the sky”
The Qur’an speaks about the water cycle in great detail.
The Qur’an says in Surah Tariq Ch. No. 86, verse no. 11
“Was samaa’I zaatir Raji’”
Which means
“By the capacity of the heavens to return”
besides the sky or the heaven acting like a protected ceiling besides reflecting all the unwanted, dangerous rays back into the space it also returns back the water evaporation. What the water evaporates from the ocean the sky, it sends it back onto the earth.
And the Qur'an says in Surah Nur, Ch. No. 24, Verse No 43, that…
‘We cause water to fall from the sky from mountains of clouds’.
And when we’re traveling in an Aero plane, Aero plane wasn’t there 1400 years back, and when we look at the clouds below, we see it is like mountain of wools. The clouds, they appear as mountains. Imagine, the Qur'an mentions that 1400 years ago.
Qur'an describes the Water cycle in great detail in several verses. Besides the several verses I quoted there are many other, umpteen number of verses which speak about the water cycle.
It's mentioned in Surah Araf, Ch. No. 7, Verse No 57;
In Surah Rad, Ch. No. 13, Verse No 17;
In Surah Furqan, Ch. No. 25, Verse No 48 and 49;
In Surah Fatir, Ch. No. 35, Verse No 9;
In Surah Yasin, Ch. No. 36, Verse No 34;
It’s mentioned in Surah Jathiyah, Ch. No. 45, Verse No 5;
In Surah Qaf, Ch. No. 50, Verse No 9 and 10;
Its mentioned in Surah Waqiah, Ch. No. 56, Verse No 67 to 70.
In Surah Mulk, Ch. No. 67, Verse No 30.
You can go on only quoting the several verses of the Qur’an which speak about the water cycle. You can only give a talk on Hydrology and Water cycle in the Qur’an.
In the field of Geology, and the Geologist today they tell us that the radius of the earth on which we live is approximately 3750 miles. And the deeper layers they are hot and fluid, it cannot sustain life. And as you keep on going superficially it keeps on getting cooler. And the superficial crust on which we live it is hardly less than 30 miles in thickness. And the Geologist they tell us there are high possibilities that this superficial crust on which we live, it can shake. And today the Geologists tell us, they talk about the ‘folding phenomena’, which gives rise to mountain ranges. And because of these folding phenomena and because of this mountain there is stability on the earth.
The Qur'an says in Surah Naba, Chapter.No.78, Verse.No.6 and 7,
“We have made the earth as an expanse”,
“Wal Jibala Awtada”
“And the mountains as stakes’.
The Arabic word ‘Avtaad’, means ‘Stakes’, or ‘Tent Pegs’, like how we put a tent peg into the ground, we see only a small portion on the top, the major portion goes deep into the ground. So the Qur’an says the mountains are like tent pegs. And today science tells us that the mountains have got deep roots and the portion we see on the top is only a small portion like the tip of an ice berg. The major portion of the ice berg is in the water and only a small portion you see on the top. And science tells us that the mountains are put firmly on the earth.
And Qur'an gives this message 1400 years ago, in Surah Naziaat, Chapter.No.79, Verse.No.32.
As well as Surah Ghashiya, Chapter.No.88, Verse.No.19,
“That we have placed on the earth mountains standing firm'.
As far as the subject of Geology is concerned, a book by the name 'The Earth' which is known as the best text books in the field of geology and is referred in most of the universities in this subject. And one of his Authors, his name is Frank Press, who was the president of the Academy of sciences of USA, earlier and was also the advisor to the ex President of USA Jimmy Cartor, and he writes in his book and he draws the mountain and shows that the mountain has got deep roots in the shape of wedge, wedge shaped and he shows that the mountain which is seen above the surface of the earth is only a small portion, the major portion has got deep roots. And he writes in his book that “It is due to the mountain which prevents the earth from shaking” And this is exactly what is mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago in
Surah Ambiya, Chapter.No.21, Verse.No.31, as well as Surah Luqman, Chapter.No.31, Verse.No.10, that
“We have placed on the earth, mountains standing firm lest it would shake with you”
The Qur’an specifically mentions that the function of the mountain is to prevent the earth from shaking, which we have come to know recently
In the subject of Oceanology, there is a verse in the Qur'an in Surah Furqaan, Chapter.No.25, Verse.No.53, which says that,
“It is Allah (swt) who has let free two bodies of flowing water: one sweet and palatable and the other salty and bitter; though they meet, they do not mix there’s a barrier which is forbidden to be trespassed.”
The same message is repeated in Surah Rahman, Chapter.No.55, Verse. No.19-20
“Marajal Bahraini yaltaqiyaan”
that
“We have left free two bodies of flowing water though they meet, they do not mix there is a barrier, there is a barzakh which is forbidden to be trespassed.”
When the commentators of the Qur’an, when they tried to understand this verse, all of us know very well & we knew it earlier also that there are two types of waters sweet & salty. But they could not understand the verse of the Qur’an which says that there are two types of water, sweet and salty, though they meet they do not mix. There is a barrier which is forbidden to be trespassed. There is a ‘Barzakh’.
The ‘Mufassireens’ the commentators could not understand what did it mean. Today after science has advanced we have come to know that whenever one type of water flows into the other type of water. Sweet water flows into the salty water; it looses its constituents and gets homogenized into the water it flows. This transitional homogenizing area according to the Qur’an is called as the ‘Barzakh’. It’s an unseen barrier. And this has been testified and verified when this verse of the Qur’an was showed to Professor Hay who’s a very famous marine scientist and a professor in Oceanology in the University of Colorado, USA. And he said that what the Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago has been testified by science recently. And this phenomena can be seen even with the naked eye at the Cape Point, the southern most tip of Cape Town, in South Africa - where one type of the water flows into the other type, we even see that the colors of both these waters differ.
Another good example is in Egypt, when river Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea. And the best example is the Gulf stream , it flows for thousands of miles it starts from the gulf of Mexico and goes to the east side of North America, travels upwards then goes eastwards and travels to the west coast of Europe. It flows for thousands of miles but yet the two waters are distinct and if you’re traveling in a ship towards the extreme of the Gulf stream and pick up, take a bucket of water from the left side and a bucket of water from the right side you will find that one is sweet & the other is salty. Even the temperature between the two, they differ. Imagine Qur’an speaks about this phenomena 1400 years ago.
In the subject of Biology the Qur'an says in Surah Ambiya, Chapter.No. 21, Verse.No.30,
“Wa Ja`alna Minal Maa'i Kulla Shay'in Hayyin Afala Yu’minoon”
“We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”
Imagine in the deserts of Arabia, the Qur’an says “We made from water every living thing”. Who could have believed in it? Today after science has advanced we have come to know that every living creature has got cells and the basic substance of cell is Cytoplasm which contains over 80% water. And today science tells us that every living creature contains about 50 to 90 % water.
Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor, Chapter.No.24, Verse.No.45,
“We’ve created every living animal from water”
The Qur'an says in Surah Furqaan, Chapter.No.25, Verse.No.54,
“We have created every human being from water”
In the field of ‘Botany’, previously we did not know that even the plants have got sexes- male and female. We have come to know about this recently. Recently means 100 years back, 200 years back, 300 years back.
The Qur'an says in Surah Ta Ha, Chapter No.20, Verse.No.53,
“It is Allah (swt) who sends down water from the sky and with it brings various pairs of plants, each separate from the other”.
The Arabic word used ‘each separate from the other’ meaning male and female. The Arabic word used in the verse of the Qur’an is ‘Azwaaj’ meaning spouses, sexes, male or female. So Qur’an says that every kind of plant has been made into sexes: male and female.
And today science tells us that all the plants they have got male and female sexes. Even the Unisexual plant, they have distinct characteristics of male and female.
The Qur'an says in Surah Ra’d, Chapter.No.13, Verse.No.3,
“We have created every kind of fruit in pairs, two and two”
Even the fruits are created in - Male and Female. And today we know that the superior plants, their end stage is the fruit, before that stage is a flower. Which has got stamens and ovules, male and female and pollen comes and fertilizes and then we have the fruit having distinct characteristic of male and female. Even the Parthenocarpic fruits, even they, like banana, figs, certain types of pineapple, oranges, they have distinct characteristics, these are unfertilized fruits. Flowers from unfertilized, the fruits obtained even they have distinct characteristics of male and female.
The Qur’an says further in Surah Yasin, Chapter.No.36, Verse.No.36,
“It is Allah (swt) who has created every animal in pairs and human being in pairs and even things which you know and don’t know.”
Allah says, he has created every thing in pairs. So besides human beings, animal, plants, even things which we don’t know.
Today we know that things like electricity also have got positive and negative. The electrons and protons and many things which we don’t know. So Allah says he has created every thing in pairs. Things we know as well as things we don’t know.
In the field of Zoology, the Qur'an says in Surah An’am, Chapter.No.6, Verse.No.38,
“We have made every animal that lives on this earth and every creature which has wings and flies in the air, to live in communities like the human beings”
Today we have come to know that the animals and birds like the human beings they too live in communities.
The Qur'an says in Surah Nahl, Chapter.No.16. Verse No.68 and 69,
“It is Allah (swt) who has taught the Bee to build its cells in hills on trees and in human habitations. And to eat of what the earth produces and to find the spacious path of thy Lord with great skill”
It was recently, just a few decades earlier that a scientist by the name of Von-Frisch, he got the Noble Prize for describing the behavior and the movement of the Bee. And what does the Qur’an mean by saying it has taught the Bee to build it cells in Hills, Trees, Human habitations, to eat of what the earth produces and find the spacious path of thy Lord with great skill.
Today after science has advanced, after Von-Frisch described the movement of the Bee, we have come to know that whenever the bee finds a new garden or a flower, it goes and tells its fellow bee, the exact direction of that garden and flower. So that it could collect nectar by a process known as the ‘bee dance’.
So what we have come to know recently, Qur’an says, it has taught the Bee to find the spacious path of thy Lord with great skill. Today in science we call it the Bee dance.
And previously we thought it was the male bee which was the worker bee, today we have come to know that it is not the male bee, it is the female bee which is the worker bee and the gender used in the Qur’an in Surah Nahl, Chapter.No.16, Verse.No.68, and 69 is ‘Fasluki’ and ‘Kuli’, meaning a ‘Female bee’. No wonder, Shakespeare in his play “Henry the Fourth” - he mentions about the people talking among themselves about the bee that the soldier bee, the male soldier bee they go and report to the king. Today we have come to know - it is not the male bee which is the solider bee, they are the female bees which are the worker bees and solider bees and they don’t report to the king but they report to the queen.
Imagine, even the gender of the worker bee, the solider bee is mentioned in the Qur’an, which is the female gender, which we’ve come to know recently.
The Qur’an says in Surah Naml Ch. No. 27 verse no. 17 & 18.
“Before Solomon marched with his host of men, jinns & birds and when they approached a lowly valley of ants one of the ants said; ‘O ye ants, get into the habitations lest Solomon and his hosts will trample you beneath the feet”
People who think, what kind of fairy tale book is the Qur’an? The ants are speaking amongst themselves? You know, we have fairy tale books so what type of fairy tale book is the Qur’an? The ants talking & speaking amongst themselves? After science has advanced we’ve come to know the Animal or insect which has the closest resemblance to the Human being is the Ant. The Ants burry the dead the same way as we human beings do. They have a sophisticated method of labors in which there are supervisors, managers, foreman, workers etc. They have a sophisticated method of communication. They very often even meet to chat. They have market places, where they exchange goods. You know Sooq, we have market places even ants have got market places where they exchange goods. And if in monsoon during rainy season if while storing the grain if the grain gets wet the ants get the grain in the sunlight to dry as though they knew that humidity will cause rotting of the grain. And if the grain begins to bud, they chop off the bud as though they knew that budding will cause rotting of the grain. Imagine, the Qur’an speaks about the life style of the Ants 1400 years ago which we have come to know recently.
The Qur’an says in Surah Ankaboot Ch. No. 29 verse no. 41
“As to those who take for protectors anyone besides Allah (swt) they build for themselves houses like that of a spider for verily the house of the spider is flimsy”
Besides the Qur’an saying that any human being who takes for protectors anyone besides All Mighty God, Allah. They’re building for themselves houses like that of a spider, talking about the web. And the house of the spider is flimsy. We know that the web is a very flimsy house but besides this today we have come to know that many a times the male spider is killed by the female spider. The relationship of the husband and wife is not good in the spiders. So besides the Qur’an talking about the flimsy physical nature of the house of a person who takes a protector besides All Mighty God is also talking about the relationships in the house.
In the field of Physiology, it was 600 years after the Qur’an was revealed that Ibn Nafees, he described the blood circulation and 1000 years after the Qur’an was revealed, 400 years after Ibn Nafees, William Harvey made it famous to the world. So in our text book we know that the blood circulation was first described by William Harvey. Actually it was Ibn Nafees, 400 years ago. This is all media.
And today we know that the food we eat it goes into the stomach then goes in the intestine. Just in a nutshell as far as physiology is concerned about the blood circulation and production of milk. The food which enters the intestine, the substance of the food it enters into the blood stream, to the vessels of the intestine and via the complex media very often through the liver, via the blood stream it reaches almost all the organs of the body including the mammary glands which is responsible for the production of milk. So what we have come to know today about the blood circulation and the production of Milk is mentioned in a nut shell in the Qur'an 1400 years ago.
In Surah Nahl, Chapter.No.16, Verse.No.66, which says, that
“Verily in the cattle is a lesson for you. We give you to drink from what is within their body, coming from a conjunction between the constituents, of the intestine and blood, milk which is pure for you to have”
And the same message is repeated in Surah Mu’minun, Chapter.No.23, Verse.No.21, that
“Verily in the cattle there’s a lesson for you. We give you to dink milk which is pure that comes from within their bodies of the cattle and in it are various benefits; and of their meat you can eat”
So Qur'an speaks about the blood circulation and the production of milk in a nutshell, 1400 years ago
In the field on Medicine, previously we did not know that the Honey was obtained from the belly of the bee.
The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, Chapter.No.16, Verse.No.69,
“From the belly of the bees we give you a drink of varying colors, in which there is healing for humankind”.
It was only 300 years before approximately we came to know that the honey was obtained from the belly of the bee. And now we come to know that Honey is rich in Vitamin K as well as Fructose. Recently we have come to know that even the Honey has got mild Antiseptic properties. No wonder the Russian soldiers in World War II, they used the honey to cover up their wounds which prevented the evaporation of moisture and the healing in the wound was done with leaving of very little scar tissue and due to the density of the Honey germs and bacteria were prevented to grow in the wound. And if a patient is suffering from the allergy of a particular plant, if honey is obtained from that plant and given to that patient, that patient starts developing resistance to it. Imagine what science has come to know today, recently Qur’an mentions that in the Honey there is healing for humankind.
In the field of embryology there were a group of students who collected all the data that they could find in the Qur'an as well as the Hadith, dealing with ‘Embryology’. And they followed the verse of the Qur'an in
Surah Nahl, Chapter.No.16, Verse.No.43, and Surah Anbiya, Chapter.No.21, Verse.No.7 which says
“Fas aloo Ahlaz zikri in kuntum la Ta’lamoon”
“If you don’t know, If you are in doubt, ask the person who is knowledgeable”
So these Arab students they collected the verses of the Qur’an and the Hadith dealing with embryology and translated it into English and presented it to Professor Keith Moore, that was about 30 years back, in the late 70’s. And Professor Keith Moore at that time was one of the highest authorities in the field of embryology and he was the head of the department of Anatomy, in the University of Toronto in Canada. When he went through all the translation of the verses of the Qur’an and the Hadith he said, that most of the verses of the Qur’an which speaks about Embryology are in perfect conformity with latest advances of embryology. But there are a couple of verses, which I cannot say that they are right. Neither can I say they are wrong, because I myself don’t know about it. And two such verses, were the first two verses of the Qur’an to be revealed of
Surah Iqra, or Surah Alaq, Chapter.No.96, Verse No.1 and 2 which says
“Iqra bismi Rabbikal laze Khalaq, Khalaqal insaana min Alaq”
“Read, Recite, Proclaim - in the name of thy Lord, who has created, who has created the human beings from something which clings - a leech like substance’.
So Professor Keith Moore said, I don’t know whether the human beings, the embryo, embryology means, it’s the study of the development of human beings the early stages of Human Being in the womb of the mother, for those who don’t know. He said that I do not know whether the initial stages of embryo, that’s the initial stages of a human being it looks like a leech or not. So he went in his laboratory and under a very powerful microscope, observed the early stages of the Embryo and compared it with the photograph of a leech, and he was astonished at the striking resemblance. And later when 80 questions were asked to him regarding Embryology in the Qur'an and the Hadith, he said, “That if you would have asked me these questions 30 years ago, that means from today more than 60 years back, I would not be able to answer more than 50% because Embryology is a new branch of Medicine which has developed recently”. And whatever additional information he got, he included in the new addition of his book, “The Developing Human”.
“The Developing Human” is one of the books referred by most of the students throughout the world in the first year of M.B.B.S first year of Medical College and even I, you know when I was in the first year of medical college in Bombay if you had to get just pass marks we used to refer to the book written by Inderbir Singh, if we wanted to score in Embryology we had to refer to ‘The Developing Human’ by Professor Keith Moore.
So Professor Keith, he Incorporated this new information he got from the Qur’an and the Hadith into the 3rd edition of His book, the Developing Human which got the award for the best medical book written by a single author. And later on this book was translated into several languages of the world. And Professor Keith Moore said, that, “This information in the Qur’an cannot come from a human source. The author of this Qur’an has to be Almighty God”. And he said that he has got no objection, in agreeing that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the Messenger of this God. Imagine Professor Keith Moore being a Christian said that.
Qur’an says in Surah Tariq chapter 86 verse 5-7 that
“Does not man know from what He is created? - He is created from a drop coming forth from a space between the backbone and the ribs”
What does the Qur’an mean by saying the human being have been created by a drop coming from the space between the backbone and the ribs, today after science has advanced we have come to know that the genital organs in the human beings in the embryonic age when the child is in the womb of the mother it develops from a space close to the kidney that is the space between the spinal column and the 11th and 12th rib, in the male the Genital organ the male Gonads are the Testis in the females the female gonads they are the Ovaries and later on in the embryonic age these Genital organs the gonads they descend, in the female the Ovary descends till the true pelvis and in the male via the inguinal canal it descends to the scrotum but even after descending in the adult life yet these genital organs they receive the nerve supply from the same space between the backbone and the 11th and 12th rib and the blood supply from the aorta which is present in the same space between the backbone and the 11th and 12 rib and the venous returns and the lymphatic drainage goes to the same space, the space between the backbone and the 11th and 12th rib.
The Qur’an mentions in no less than 11 different places that the human beings have been created from a “nutfah”.
It’s also mentioned in Surah Hajj chapter 22 verse no. 5 and Surah Mo’minoon chapter no. 23 verse no 13 that the human beings have been created from nutfah which means a minute quantity of liquid. What does the Qur’an mean that we have created the human beings from a minute quantity of liquid?
The Qur’an also says in Surah chapter no. 32 verse no. 8 that
“We have created the human beings from a quintessence and We have created the human being from ‘Sulaalah’”
The Arabic word Sulaalah besides meaning quintessence it also means the best part of the whole so besides the Qur’an saying that we have created the human beings from minute quantity of liquid, it also says; we have created the human beings from the best part of the whole and today science tells us that only one Spermatozoa out of the millions of sperms that emitted is sufficient to fertilize the ovum only one out of several millions.
So this one out of several millions the Qur’an refers as nutfah minute quantity and Sulaalah the best part of the whole, one out of several millions.
The Qur’an further says in Surah Insaan chapter 76 verse no. 2
“We have created the human beings from ‘Nutfatun Amshaj’ from a minute quantity of mingled fluids”
Today science says that both the male fluid and the female fluid both are responsible for the birth of the baby so minute quantity of mingled fluids and besides the male and the female fluids, even the surrounding fluid takes part Prostatic fluid etc.
In the field of Genetics, today we have come to know that it is the sperm which is responsible for determining the sex of the child. And today science tells us that the 23rd pair of Chromosomes in the human being it determines the sex of the child. If it’s 'XX'… it’s a female. If it’s 'XY' then it’s a male. So it is the sperm which is responsible for determining the sex. If the ‘X’ of the sperm takes part in the fertilization then a female is born. If the ‘Y’ takes part then a male is born and this is exactly what the Qur’an says in
Surah Najm, Chapter.No. 53, Verse No. 45 and 46, that…
“We have created the human beings from minute quantity of liquid which is ejaculated”
Minute quantity of liquid, ejaculated means, it has to be a male fluid.
The similar message is repeated in Surah Qiyamah, Chapter.No.75, Verse.No.37 to 39, that,
ó“We have created the human beings from a minute quantity of sperm,
“Nutfatun mim Manee’eeyumna”
“We have created the human beings from a minute quantity of sperm…….
then made it into an ‘Alaqa’ – and gave it sex: male – female”.
So the Qur’an says that the sperm is responsible for the sex of the child whether it is a male or a female.
In this country of ours, this great country India, for reasons known best to the Indians, in India mainly most of the people they prefer having sons rather than daughters and if a lady gives birth to a daughter very often the mother in law she will blame the daughter in law, that why did you give birth to a daughter. According to the Science and the Qur’an, if the mother in law has to blame any one, she should not blame the daughter in law; she should blame the son because it is the male fluid which is responsible for decifying the sex of the child, male or female.
Actually it’s in the hand of Allah (swt), He is the one who makes it, male or female but if the mother has to blame anyone she should blame the son because he is responsible for the sex of child, male or female.
The Qur’an says in Surah Az Zumur chapter 39 verse no. 6 that
“We have made the human beings in stages one after the other in three veils of darkness”
I would like to end my talk by giving the last example of Professor Tagatat Tejasen. Professor Tagatat Tejasen is the head of the department of Anatomy, in University of Shanghai in Thailand. And he has spent a great deal of time in doing research of pain receptors. We doctors previously thought that only the brain was responsible for the feeling of pain. Recently we have come to know that besides the brain there are certain receptors in the skin, which are called as ‘pain receptors’, which are responsible for the feeling of pain. Without the pain receptors the human being cannot feel pain, that’s the reason whenever a patient of burn injury comes to a doctor; he takes a pin and pricks it in the area of burn. If the patient feels pain, the doctor is happy. It’s a superficial burn, the pain receptors they are intact. If the patient does not feel pain, then the doctor is sad. The pain receptors have been destroyed. It’s a deep burn.
The Qur'an mentions in Surah Nisa, Chapter.No.4, Verse.No.56,
“As to those who reject our signs, We shall cast them into the hell fire, and as often as their skins are roasted, We shall give them fresh skins, so that they shall feel the pain”
What does the Qur'an mean by saying that “As to those who reject our signs we shall cast them into the hell fire and as often as their skins are roasted, We shall give them fresh skin, so that they shall feel the pain” indicating that there is something in the skin which is responsible for the feeling of the pain. And today the Scientists and Medical doctors have discovered that there are pain receptors in the skin which are responsible for the feeling of pain.
When this translation of the verse was given to Professor Tagatat Tejasen, he said, “It is impossible. How could a Book written 1400 years ago mention about pain receptors?” He could not believe in it. Later on, after verifying the translation and speaking with other scientist, he was so impressed with the Qur’an that in the 8th Medical Conference held in Riyadh, in the Conference itself he said:
“La Ilaha Il Allah, Muhammadur Rasulallah”… “There is no God but Allah, and Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah (SWT)”.
Wa Aakhiru Dawana Anil Hamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen…….!
Qur’an and Modern Science
(Chennai-2008)
By
Dr. Zakir Naik
Question & Answer Session
(Duration – 55 minutes)
Chairman: Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehamatullahi Wa Barakatuhu! JazakAllah Khair, Dr. Zakir Naik. Before I begin the Question & Answers little bit about myself. In 1996 I accepted Islam at the University of Saudi Arabia; California, Berkeley and the lecture which facilitated my acceptance of Islam was a fraction of this lecture. Had I herd this I probably would have been overblown and MashaAllah, some people are just given that gift and you have been given that gift I Shouldn’t praise people in their presence but…
Now back to the question & answers. In order to make this run as smoothly and as quickly as possible I would ask everyone in attendance tonight to please keep your questions strictly to the topic. To ask your question briefly, to be orderly at the mikes and queue in a line and do not bunch. And I would also like to remind everyone in the audience that we are brothers and sisters in humanity and for those Non Muslims who are with us tonight you are our brothers & you are our sisters & we will give you a priority at the mikes so if you have a question we ask that the volunteers facilitate those people in getting to the microphones and they have the priority. Brothers & sisters if you came with a Non Muslim guest and they are slightly shy please do motivate them to ask their question because we have people who can give the best answers, InshaAllah. And for those Muslims here you have many opportunities so please do let the Non Muslims ask their questions.
We have 3 microphones, 1 in the rare for the brothers, in the front for the brothers & 1 in the sisters section here. So if you have a question, try to make your way to these 1, 2, 3, microphones. Written questions will receive second priority. Those questions at the micro phones will be answered first. I know that we have 1 very patient brother who is a Non Muslim & he waited this entire talk to ask his question. So at this time I’ll go to the front mike in the male’s section and ask the brother to please state your name, your occupation & then briefly state your question.
Questioner: Good Evening everyone. Ah… my name is Aditiya & I’m doing my final year engineering in Chennai. Ah.. though I’m a Hindu I’ve been having this question about Islam that I wanted to ask and no better a person than Dr. Zakir Naik. As you said in your speech many times that holy Qur’an was written 1400 years ago and is considered the most worthy & latest revelation given by Allah so I have 2 questions to you. Allah who knows all, why didn’t he give his best of revelations the first time itself to the first of messengers and why did God take so many times to give his best of knowledge? And my second question which is related to this is even before the holy Qur’an was written i.e. 1400 years ago human beings have lived in the earth for thousands of years so why did Allah the Most Merciful didn’t give them the best knowledge which he has given us for the last 1400 years? Thank you.
Dr. Zakir: Brother has asked a very good question, a very relevant question. two questions both the questions are overlapping the answers. He said that why did Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) give this last & final revelation 1400 years ago. Why not in day one when human beings were there? And the second part which is a part of the same question that what about the people who lived before 1400 years ago. They were deprived of the Qur’an. So if Allah is Most merciful, Most gracious, Most beneficent so isn’t it that the people earlier before 1400 years ago were deprived. A very good question.
To reply to your question, my son he tells me that Abba, father, you want me to become a doctor why do you put me in nursery, 1st standard, 2nd standard then school then collage why don’t you put me into medical college directly? If I want my son to become a medical doctor I don’t have to put him into medical college directly I’ve to first make the grounds very clear. First he goes in the pre primary school then goes into the school 1st standard onwards… passes school then goes to the higher school then college then when he’s fit then he enters a medical college. Similarly All Mighty God, who has knowledge of the unseen, has knowledge of everything. He even has knowledge of the human beings. So it is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Rad ch. No. 13 verse no. 38 Allah says “likulli ajalin kitab” that “We have sent a revelation in every age in every period” by name 4 are mentioned in the Qur’an Torah, Zaboor, Injeel & the Qur’an. But there were several revelations sent the 1st revelation, All Mighty God knew that the human beings have to develop if he would have revealed the Qur’an at the first time; at the time of Adam (pbuh) he knew the human beings won’t be able to grasp it. That’s the reason in the revelation that came before the Qur’an i.e. the Injeel today we have the Bible though we don’t consider the Bible to be the Injeel but some parts of the Bible may be the word of God.
It’s mentioned in the Bible in the Gospel of John Ch no. 16 verse no. 12 to 14 Jesus Christ pbuh says
“I have many things to say unto you but cannot bear them now for he when the sprit of truth shall come he shall guide you unto all truth. He shall show you the way to come he shall glorify me.”
So here Jesus Christ pbuh he knew but yet he said you will not be able to grasp it therefore when the last & final Messenger will come he will show you things to come. So similarly All Mighty God he knew very well that when is the right time for the human beings to receive the last and final revelation, the Qur’an and that was about 1400 years ago.
As far as your second part of the question is concerned what about the people that came before the Qur’an was revealed? I will tell them that if my son goes to standard one he will not be given the medical question paper. He’ll be given the question paper of standard one. If he goes to higher school he’ll be given the question of higher school then junior college. Fine? So similarly the basic message of All Mighty God in all the scriptures in all the revelations from the first revelation till the till the last revelation the Qur’an was the same that you have to believe in one God. That you have to worship him and no one else. So all the messengers right from the first messenger Adam (pbuh) right down to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, peace be upon them all, all of them taught the basic message of oneness of God and about Tawheed. And about this message of oneness of God & Tawheed InshaAllah I’ll be discussing in detail on the last day of this conference, on the last Sunday that’s the 20th of January, InshaAllah. Hope that answers the question.
Chairman: Thank you for the question. Do we have another question from a guest here? Non Muslim? Okay we’ll go to the gentlemen’s section rare microphone. Gentleman could you please sates your name & your occupation please?
Questioner: Good evening everyone, my name is Sanjeev. Ah.. I’m working here in LAN Marvel company as an Admin executive. Ah.. I got few questions but I’ll ask only 2 questions regarding this Islam. First question is do Islam believe in rebirth? And second question is in Islam its not allowed to commit suicide but many people that’s in Pakistan, in Arabic countries they are blowing themselves up and they are killing many people so who.. Who are the peoples who are motivating them whether they are really following the Islam or who is motivating them that is my question sir.
Dr. Zakir: The brother’s asked two questions. The first question, does Islam believe in rebirth? And the second question that if suicide is prohibited in Islam how come people in Pakistan & other parts of the world they are blowing up themselves & killing themselves? They’re two questions. As far as the first question is concerned that does Islam believe in Rebirth? If you ask only in rebirth, yes Islam believes in rebirth. What we believe that the human beings come to this earth once the Qur’an says that we give you life and you come on this earth then we cause you to die and then We resurrect you again in the next life. This is exactly what is mentioned in the Vedas if you read Rig Veda book no. 10 it speaks about Punar Janam. Punar means next, Janam means life. So the Veda speaks about the PunarJanam, about the next life. But unfortunately, most of the Hindus they misunderstand the meaning of PunarJanam. Punar means next, Janam means life we believe in the next life. You say PunarJanam, you say rebirth we’ve got no problem but most of the Hindus they believe in a Philosophy known as Samskara. It’s a Sanskrit word Samskara which means birth, death, birth, death. A cycle of reincarnation, a cycle of birth, death, birth, death, birth death. This cycle of birth death, birth death, or Samskara or reincarnation is nowhere to be found in the Vedas.
What they quote is a verse of Bhagvad Geeta ch. No. 2 verse no. 22 which says
“like a human being takes off the old clothes and puts on new clothes same way the soul throws away the old body and puts on the new body.”
As far as this is concerned I’ve got no objection with the Bhagvat Geeta, its further mentioned even in the Upanishads that like a caterpillar walks up a grass of blade it jumps on to the new grass I’ve got no problem. Now as far as the scriptures are concerned if you take the literal meaning of the Veda which does not speak about the cycle of birth death, birth death but only speaks about Punar Janam, next life, Islam speaks the same. But most of the scholars of Hinduism they could not understand that how can a human being be born with some congenital defect. How can he be born as a handicapped? Some are born healthy, some are born handicapped, some are born in rich family, some are born in poor family so they thought this was injustice so how could God be unjust? Therefore they propounded the theory of Samskara which is nowhere to be found in the Vedas. The Vedas are considered to be the highest Hindu scriptures. In the Hindu scriptures you have the Smirti & you have the Shruti. Smirti means scriptures written by the human beings & Shruti are the Vedas and the Upanishads considered to be the word of God. Now because they could not justify why some people are born in rich family, some in poor family, some are born healthy, some with congenital defect they propounded this theory of Samsara.
As far as Islam is concerned Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Mulk ch no. 67 verse no. 2
“Allazee khalaqa almawta walhaya”
“Its Allah who has created death & life to test which of you is good in deeds.”
This life you are leading is a test for the hereafter and we believe that every child is born sinless, is born Masoom. Irrespective whether he’s born handicapped or healthy, whether rich family, poor family all these things are a test for the human beings as
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqrah ch. No. 2 & Suarh Anfal ch. No.8 verse no. 28 He says that
“Surely we will test you with fear & hunger, with loss of life and loss of what you have earned.”
It’s mentioned in Surah Anfal ch. No. 8 verse no. 28 that
“Your children & your wives are a test for you.”
Now here we realize that the Qur’an says your children are a test for you. Now if a child Suppose is born handicapped it’s a test for the parents. The parents may be very good, they may be pious, may be Allah wants to test them more after giving them a child which is handicapped yet do they have faith in Allah or not? It’s a test. So whenever any calamity befalls on human being its either a punishment or a test. Whenever a good thing happens in your life its either a reward or it’s a test. That does not mean that if something bad happens it has to be a punishment. It can be a punishment, it can be a test. If something good happens in your life it can be a reward or it can be a test. So here All Mighty God is testing the parents that do they have faith in All Mighty God? So if a handicapped child is born the parent may be an average Muslim & he may say oh why my child only has to be born handicapped? Why my child has to be born with congenital heart disease? Allah is testing them. The people who are good Muslims they’ll say Allah has destined, no problem yet we thank Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) and more difficult the test, more higher is the reward. To pass a simple graduation of BA is easy but to pass MBBS is difficult. The moment you pass MBBS in front of your name you get Doctor ‘Dr.’ higher status. Examination is difficult, the honor is more.
So All Mighty God tests different people in different way. The child that is born what the Hindus said, the Hindu scholars, in his previous Janam, in his previous birth he did a sin therefore he was born handicapped. They didn’t have any other justification. If you do good deeds then you’re born healthy. So what the Hindu scholars they propounded that every living creature it keeps on changing. According to them the universal brotherhood of Hinduism is all living creatures are your brothers so sometimes you’re born as an animal sometimes as a bird sometime as a rat, sometime as a cockroach, sometime as human being. And the human being is the highest level. And you’re born as a human being 7 times. So they came with this philosophy because they could not justify. Why a child is born rich or poor handicapped or healthy.
Similarly for a person whose born poor it’s a test for him so the rich people he has to give Zakaat. Every rich person who has a saving of more than the Nisaab level, 85 grams of gold, he or she should give 2.5% of every lunar year in charity. For the poor person, for him, he gets full marks in Zakaat. He is poor so he has to give no Zakaat, 100 out of 100. but we say array garib aadmi hai, poor man, … poor man… Poor man! He’s got 100 out of 100 in Zakaat. The rich man if he gives proper Zakaat he may get 100 out of 100. he says okay fine I’ve got so much wealth this part is exempted from Zakaat, he may give 50% of zakaat. So he’s getting negative points. He may not give Zakaat at all.
So imagine suppose there’s a questioner, suppose there’s a question in your question paper which is very easy should you be happy of sad? So when a person is born poor actually in Zakaat he gets 100 out of 100. Therefore our beloved Prophet said that it’s easier for a poor man to go to Jannah than a rich man. But we say arey garib aadmi hai, poor man.. how sad! Not sad 100 out of 100 in Zakaat. For the rich man he has to give charity, he has to give Zakaat, he has to give donation, he’ll be accountable for his wealth. So what…. in Islam we are born in this world once and once is sufficient. Once we die we are resurrected on the Day of Judgment. You want to call it rebirth I have got no problem, you want to call Punar Janam I have got no problem, we say life after death but surely if I agree with you for the sake of argument, for the sake of argument what the Hindu scholars propound that you know that sometime you are born as an animal, sometime bird, sometime human being. I want to ask you a question brother in this world as every year is passing on is the population of the human being increasing or decreasing brother? Increasing or decreasing?
Questioner: Increasing.
Dr. Zakir: Increasing, very good. Is the sin in the world increasing or decreasing? I can’t hear you. Increasing or decreasing?
Questioner: It’s increasing sir.
Dr. Zakir: Sorry.
Questioner: Increasing.
Dr. Zakir: Increasing. Human beings are increasing and even sin is increasing. If I agree with the philosophy of the Hindu scholars more the sin increases the population of human beings should decrease. So therefore I believe in going to the higher scriptures, the Vedas. When I talk which I had given a talk earlier in Chennai during the first peace conference that was in 2004 ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’ and there I showed and compared that even in Veda it speaks about 1 God, no idol worship and everything. So what is common between the scriptures we follow. So this the cycle of Samskara, birth-death, birth-death is no where to be found in the Vedas. It’s ta philosophy of the Hindu scholars to justify because they could not justify why human beings are born poor or healthy which I have given you the answer in Islam.
As far as your second question is concerned that if suicide is Haraam in Islam, it is prohibited, if yes then why do people commit suicide? Is someone instigating them, Suicide bombing.
The Qur’an says in Surah Baqrah ch no.2 v no. 195 that
“Do not make your own hands the cause of your destruction.”
So according to the Qur’an committing suicide is Haraam, it is prohibited. So as far as committing suicide, it is prohibited.
As far as killing any other innocent human being the Qur’an says in
Surah Maidah ch. No. 5 verse no. 32 that
“if anyone kills any other human being, whether it be a Muslim or a Non Muslim, unless it be for murder or for spreading corruption in the land it is as though he has killed the whole of humanity. And if anyone saves a human being it is as though he’s saved the whole of humanity.”
So killing any innocent human being whether it be a Muslim or a Non Muslim it is prohibited In Islam. So if anyone whether he puts a bomb without killing himself or with killing himself if he kills innocent human being, it is prohibited. So as far as killing innocent human being is concerned it is prohibited. If you use it as a strategy of war, you know, the Japanese used to do this suicide you know initially, where do you get suicide bombing from? According to a professor who wrote a book ‘Dying to Win’ in America he says that the first people who did suicide bombing were the LTT, Tamil Tigers but yet the blame is put on Muslims I don’t know why. It’s the media. Have you ever heard of any Muslim doing suicide bombing it was first the LTT and then the Americans and may be some of the Muslims, black sheep may have picked up, but who were the originators? But yet when suicide bombing comes the terrorists are labeled as Muslims. In Chennai a few years back I had also given a talk on ‘Terrorism and Jihad – An Islamic Perspective’, where I have described in detail about this answer of suicide bombing as far as Islamic perspective is concerned. But killing innocent human being and committing suicide is Haraam. Hope that answers the question brother.
Chairman: Thank you for the question. We’ll go to the front mike with the males. If there are any other Non Muslims at the back mike or the sister’s mike just have the volunteers raise their hands.
Dr. Zakir: Any Non Muslims ladies they are most welcome to ask their question and if any Non Muslims in the audience please feel free to come on the micro phone. It’s your opportunity and as previous times I have come to Chennai, Alhumdulillah. All the questions were asked by Non Muslims so I hope even now the Non Muslims of Chennai, MashaAllah they are bold enough. You can ask any question even if it is a criticism; even if you disagree in whatever I say no problem. Come up and ask the question. Believe me I’m young but I can take it. You can criticize the Qur’an, you can criticize Islam, you can ask, this is your opportunity. Please come up on the micro phone and have the doubt cleared. This is your opportunity.
Chairman: And there you heard it from the man himself so your name and occupation please.
Questioner: Hello everybody. My name is Ramakrishnan. I’m a software engineer. I have 2 questions for you. The first is what does Islam say about donating organs after death? Is it okay or is it prohibited? Second question is what does Islam say about atheists? That’s it.
Dr. Zakir: Brother asked 2 questions. I think the Non Muslims..one and they are asking two. No problem. The first question is what does Islam say about donating organs? Second question is about atheist. As far as the first question is concerned what does Islam say about donating organs. There is no direct verse in the Qur’an or any Sahih Hadith which says whether organs can be donated or not. But there were various conferences that were held in Saudi Arabia, in Malaysia and various different parts of the world and the scholars have come to a common consensus that if three things are fulfilled then organs can be donated.
No. 1 the person who requires an organ but natural it should be a major benefit to his health, he can receive organ as long as it’s a major benefit or saves his life.
Point no. 2, the person donating the organ after he donates the organ it should not be a major loss to his health. For example if I donate my heart, I will die. So I can’t donate my heart. But the doctors say that out of 2 kidneys present the person can even survive with one kidney. So if my mother has a kidney failure, both the kidneys have failed I can very well donate my one kidney to my mother, even she lives and even I live. But natural after a person dies if he wants to donate any other organ that is permissible but if he is alive he should not donate any part of the body which will cause a major damage to his health or a loss of life.
And the third criteria is; it should not be for money. No one should sell organ. If all these three conditions are fulfilled then organ donation very well can be done.
As far as your second question is concerned what does Islam have to say about atheist. As far as I’m concerned whenever I meet an atheist… are you an atheist brother? He said no, whenever I meet any atheist the first thing I do is I congratulate that atheist. People may wonder that why is Zakir congratulating an atheist.
The reason I’m congratulating an atheist is because most of the human beings they usually do blind belief. He’s a Hindu because his father is a Hindu. He’s a Christian, father is a Christian. Many Muslims are Muslims because father is a Muslim. Now this atheist, he is thinking. He may be coming from a religious background his father may be pious but he does not believe that how can there be a God who requires to eat, a god who can die, a god who can lie. So the reason I congratulate the atheist is because he has said the first part of the Islamic Shahadah, Islamic creed ‘La ilaa ha’ that there is no God. The only thing that I have to do is ‘ill Allah’, but Allah. Which I shall do InshaAllah. So half my job is done to a Non Muslim who believes in some other God, first I have to prove to him that the God he’s worshipping is wrong and after I prove to him that the God he is worshipping is wrong then I have to prove to him about the correct God. Here the atheist, half my job is done. He already agrees in the first part of the Islamic Shahadah La ila ha, there is no god, the only thing I have to do is ill Allah which I shall do InshaAllah.
The first question I ask to the atheist is that what is the definition of God. If anyone says there is no god to say there is no god he should know the definition of God. If he does not know the definition of God he cannot say there is no God. For example if I say this is a pen. Is this a pen? No. it’s a book. To say this is not a pen you should know the definition of a pen. Some people say no Zakir I know this a book so I can say its not a pen I said no, if you know the definition of pen I’ll say is this a kitaab you say no it is not a kitaab because he does not know the definition of kitaab. To say it’s not a kitaab you should know the definition of Kitaab. Because kitaab and book is the same. So to say it is not a pen; you have to know the definition of a pen. You may or may not know the definition of a book. Correct?
So similarly to say there is no God. You should know the definition of God so now this person who is an atheist he’s believing… oh that god he requires to eat, he can lie, he fights and he loses, he does not believe in a God. So I say even I don’t believe in such a god. La ila ha. Then I tell to him the correct concept of God. and the correct concept of God is mentioned in Surah Ikhlas ch. No. 112 verse no. 1 to 4 which I shall discuss in the last day of conference, InshaAllah, i.e. on 20th of January.
So what he’s doing, he is rejecting the false Gods.
Then I ask the question to the atheist that if suppose there is an equipment which is brought in front of you who no one in the world has ever seen, no one knows about it and if I ask the question that who will be the first person, who will be able to tell you the mechanism of that equipment. So the atheist will tell the first person who will tell the mechanism of this equipment, who no one in the world has seen it is the creator. Some may say the manufacturer, some may say the inventor, some may say the person who has made it, the maker. He may say creator, maker, inventor, manufacturer whatever he says it will be somewhat similar. Don’t grapple with the words, whatever he may say accept it. Then ask him that repeat the lecture which I gave which I don’t intend repeating that how did the universe come into existence, he’ll tell you about the big bang, then I’ll tell him that when did you come to know. He will tell you in 1973, yesterday in science. 30 years back, 40 years back. I will say what you are talking about the big bang you came to know 30 years back is mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned it? He will say may be it’s a fluke. Don’t argue with him, continue. What’s the shape of the earth? He will tell you previously people thought it was flat, now we know its spherical. When did you come to know? He’ll tell you in 1577 when Sir Francis Drakes sailed around the earth. When? 300 years back, 400 years back, 450 years back. The Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned it? He’ll say oh may be your Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he was an intelligent man.
Don’t argue, continue. Light of the moon is its own light or reflected light. He will tell you previously we thought light of the moon was its own light. Recently we have come to know couple of 100 years back its reflected light. It’s mentioned in the Qur’an Surah Furkaan ch 25 verse 61. Light of the moon is reflected, 1400 years back. Who could have mentioned it? Now he’ll pause.
Don’t wait for the answer, continue. In school I was taught that the sun was stationary, it did not rotate about its axis. He’ll ask you is that mentioned in the Qur’an. I say no that’s what I learnt in school. But the Qur’an says the sun and the moon rotate which we have come to know recently. In school 25 years back I was told that the sun did not rotate. The Qur’an says 1400 years back that the sun rotates which science has discovered today. Who could have mentioned that? There will be a pause, don’t wait for the reply, continue.
So all the scientific things I mentioned in my talk after each scientific fact ask him who could have mentioned it before. And finally he will tell the creator, the manufacturer, the inventor, the maker. This creator, this manufacturer, this producer, this inventor, we in Islam call as Allah. That’s the reason today science is not eliminating God, La ila ha, it is eliminating models of God, ill Allah. Therefore Sir Francis Bacon, a very famous philosopher he said that ‘little knowledge of science makes you an atheist, in-depth knowledge of science makes you a believer in God’. So with this help of this lecture Qur’an and Modern Science you can prove the existence of God scientifically. Hope that answers the question brother.
Chairman: JazakAllah Khair. Brother go ahead and state your question. I remind the sisters, InshaAllah, to motivate those Non Muslim sisters may be amongst you to ask their questions. This is an excellent opportunity for them. So you should really try to motivate them to come to the micro phones. Brother…
Questioner: My name is Ritesh and I’m a student studying in 11th Std. my question is all the religions have limitations of clothing. Let me be specific to the women ah… but they have changed with time but why is the burkha still the same? Why hasn’t that changed with time? And one more question… ah.. I’m sorry ah… during Ramazan I’ve seen all the Muslims will be fasting…
Dr. Zakir: The brother said that by the passage of time every religion has got clothing for women but by the passage of time the clothing keeps of changing but why the Muslim women yet wear the burkha? As far as the clothing is concerned brother in Islam there are 6 criteria for clothing. For the man it’s from the naval to the knee. That is the extent it should be covered. For the women the complete body should be covered. The only part that can be seen are the face and the hands up to the wrist. There are certain scholars who say that even this should be covered. The remaining 5 criteria’s are the same for the man and the women.
The second is that the clothes they wear it should not be so tight so that it reveals the figure, it should be lose.
The third is it should not be translucent or transparent so that you can see through.
The fourth is it should not be so glamorous so that it attracts the opposite sex.
Fifth, it should not resemble that of the unbeliever and
Sixth it should not resemble that of the opposite sex. These are basically the six criteria’s and most of these six criteria’s are even mentioned in the other scriptures.
If you read the Bible it’s mentioned in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy ch. No. 22 verse no. 5 it says that
“the women shall not wear clothes that which pertained to a man. And a man shall not wear clothes that which pertained to a woman. All those who do this they are creating an abomination.”
It’s further mentioned in the Bible in the 1st Timothy ch. No. 2 verse no. 9 that
“the women should be dressed up with shame faceedness and sobriety, they should not wear costly array, pearls and gold.”
And further its mentioned in the first Corinthians Ch no. 11 verse no. 5 to 6 that
“the woman that prayth with the head uncovered, her head should be shaved off.”
There is no verse in the Qur’an or the Ahadith which says that the woman who does not cover her head should be shaved off. But the bible is stricter. Bible is stricter than the Qur’an. That if the woman that prays does not cover the head should be shaved off.
The same thing in the Hindu scripture. If you read the Hindu scriptures it’s mentioned in Ramayaan that when Parsuram when he comes to Ram he says to his wife Sita that he is our elder therefore lower your gaze and guard your modesty.
It’s further mentioned, if you read Rig Veda book no. 10 ch. No. 85 verse no. 30 it says that
“the woman who wears the clothes of that of a man she is defiling it. She should not wear the clothes of a man.”
Further its mentioned that in Rig Veda book no. 8 that
“Brahma has ordered that the woman should cover her head.”
So Hindu scriptures, Christian scriptures, Muslim scriptures modesty is there, covering the head is there. By the passage of time I do agree with you that Christianity now, you only see the nuns covering the head, they are called pious. If Muslim women cover their hair, they are called as subjugated. Why? Double standards. If you see a nun covered properly. Therefore you see the photograph of Mother Mary.
Have you seen the photograph of Mother Mary? Like a Muslimah. And she was a Muslimah. Muslim woman. Properly covered to the wrist, only the face seen. What I do agree with you even if you stick to the six criteria’s by fashion the types of Hijaab, the Burkha, Abaaya has changed. As long as you follow the six principals of Islam and you change the colour from black to blue to brown, no problem. As long as you don’t break any of the six criteria. Therefore you see new-new styles of Hijaab. But some styles of Burkha, they’re so fashionable that they break the laws of Islam. There are so many shiny sequences coming that you are attracting the opposite sex. So that is Haraam. But otherwise you want to wear red, you want to wear black color, no problem. People think black is compulsory. Black is not compulsory. If you wear black may be you may have to wash the Burkha once in a week. If you wear white you may have to wash everyday. The choice is yours. You wear white and wash it everyday, you wear black and wash it once a week, the choice is yours. As long as it doesn’t break any of the criteria, 6 criteria of Hijaab. So now there are new types of Hijaab coming as long as it doesn’t break, you are allowed. But it should be modest. If it is modest it is accepted.
Second question, that you see in Ramadhaan the people fast, when they fast in the day in the evening they feast. And I would like to thank you for asking this question see why do we fast?
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqrah ch. No. 2 verse no. 183 that
“Fasting has been prescribed to you as it was prescribed to people who came before you. So that you may learn self restraint, you may learn Taqwa.”
And today the scientists they tell us if you can control your hunger, you can control almost all your desires. So if you can fast you can control your other desires but I do agree with you, if not all, many Muslims if you would say most also I would nto mind agreeing with you that they fast and when they break the fast, they feast. So that defeats the purpose, I do agree with you. And many of them convert the day into night and the night into day. They sleep the full day and the full night they’re playing cricket. In India… cricket. So you have to lead a normal life… like a normal life, you have to do more Ibadah, you have to worship God more. So normally when you fast but natural your meals are reduced. It is medically beneficial. But if you over eat then there will be a problem. But if you do it the correct way there are various medical benefits of fasting which you can refer to my video cassette and I have given 64 episodes on fasting which comes during Ramadhaan. And InshaAllah you can watch it, there are various benefits of fasting. Hope that answers the question.
Chairman: Sister’s side if you have a question from a Non Muslims side you can state it.
Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! This is on behalf of a Non Muslim, sister Vandana. She says I’m new to this concept, have limited knowledge therefore asking a basic question. If out of 6000 verses, 1000 are about scientific facts then what really is the essence of the Qur’an.
Dr. Zakir: The sister’s asked a very good question that if the Qur’an contains more than 6000 verses and more than a1000 speak about science, what is the essence of the Qur’an? Sister as I mentioned in my earlier answer the basic essence of the Qur’an is Tawheed. Believing in one God and worshipping Him alone and no one else. And the Qur’an as I mentioned it’s not a book of science, S-C-I-E-N-C-E. it’s a book of signs, S-I-G-N-S. It’s a book of Aayats. The Qur’an is a book which shows you how your life should be led.
And when I had a debate with Shri Shri Ravi Shankar I said that this is the best book on art of living. If there is any book there’s on art of living, which is the best, it is the Qur’an. Best book on art of living. And it has a membership of more than 1.3 billion people. So this book shows you how to lead your life. Now many a times you understand that because the Qur’an in the word of All Mighty God. One verse of the Qur’an has got multiple angles. Now the same 1000 verses which are speaking about science it doesn’t mean it only speaks about science, it speaks about various other aspects also. That’s the beauty of the Qur’an. When a lay man sees it, he understands it, when a scientific man sees it he sees it in a different angle. It satisfies both. So that’s the beauty of the Qur’an. That does not mean Qur’an is the book of science.
Yes but there in not a single verse of the Qur’an which goes against established science. Because it’s a book of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), All Mighty God so this book is a book of guidance. How our life should be led. It shows a person to believe in the oneness of God, how to worship Him and how to lead the life. The pros and cons, the Faraiz what a human being should do and the prohibited things he should abstain from. It’s mentioned in the Qur’an. Hope that answers the question sister.
Chairman: Sister if you have another question, go ahead. If it’s from a Non Muslim.
Questioner: Your presentation is an impressive but could you just ask this group to raise their hands who knew some of the information that you mentioned now. The thought here is why is general education and the learning of the holy Qur’an not integrated?
Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a question that from the audience how many of you knew the major portion if what I’ve said in the lecture? Please raise your hand. Major portion of what I have mentioned. MashaAllah, you can say most of them. At least more than 50% if not all. And the reason is that I have written a book also ‘Qur’an and Modern Science – Compatible or Incompatible’ which is being distributed in the conference. If those who have not got a copy, InshaAllah, on your way out, the copy of my talk ‘Qur’an and Modern Science’ will be distributed InshaAllah. It’s a 4 color book.
Regarding the pat of your question the second part that why isn’t education been given to the Muslims so I expected this sister would have thought that may be 1% or 10% less than 10% who’d raise their hand so here you see MashaAllah majority knew it. And yet they came for the talk, Alhumdulillah. May be they came for the question and answer session. That is the best part of the programme.
Sister as far as Islam is concerned the first guidance given by All Mighty God in the glorious Qur’an in the last and final revelation to human beings it was not to offer Salaah, it was not to perform Hajj or pilgrimage it was Iqra., read recite, proclaim. So the first guidance given by All Mighty God given in the last and final revelation it was to read, it was education. And that’s the reason the major stress that the Muslims should put is on education and Alhumdulillah the people of the south I know from Kerala and even of Madras, MashaAllah of Chennai as far as the percentage is concerned in the other parts of India, Alhumdulillah, the Muslims in Kerala are 100% educated. Not Muslims, all Keralites whether Muslim or Non Muslim they’re educated. So even culture counts into it. As far as the religion of Islam is concerned, every Muslim, he should be educated. So that’s a message for those who are not educated that acquiring education in important and that is the first guidance given by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) in the last and final revelation, the Glorious Qur’an. Hope that answers the question.
Chairman: If the sister could please stay at the micro phone I’ll come back to you after I take a question from the gentleman’s side. If you have more questions from the Non Muslims. If there is another sister who has a question, Non Muslim then please allow her to come to the mike and ask her question as well. But until then I’ll go with the brother in the front.
Questioner: Good evening again everyone. Ah.. it was amazing to see how much science that the glorious Qur’an contain after your talk. But in most of the examples from the Qur’an which you gave it is very difficult to comprehend what the Qur’an tells before actually the science discovers or invents that particular phenomena. For example you said in the honey there is healing of humanity in the Qur’an and you mentioned it as its about may be say if a person is poisoned with a plant, the honey of the plant should be taken so what is the use so say of a All Mighty holy scripture talking about things which are only able to comprehend after the real invention is made by science. So can you tell me now something from the Qur’an which will be invented by science later or later be invented?
Dr Zakir: Brother asked a very good question that I have mentioned many things about science indirectly saying all this was already discovered earlier and if Qur’an says something and after science has discovered so what’s the use? Can you tell me something which science hasn’t discovered? Brother that’s the reasons the Arabs were advanced in the field of Astronomy. Why? Because they read the Qur’an. The Qur’an has a lot of information on astronomy. So when they read the Qur’an they try and do more investigation. They do more research and that’s how they come to know. Qur’an is a telegraphic message. See the book of science only on one subject. In medicine one subject, requires volumes. So in that way the Qur’an is, this Qur’an most of the human beings they don’t like to read. Oh such a big book. So if God All Mighty wrote in detail then even a big building, you’ll require thousands of building to contain the message of the Qur’an. Qur’an is telegraphic message. So in telegraphic message many of the Muslims they read the Qur’an and they made advances in Science. That’s the reason we find if you go back into history. The Muslims are advanced in science and technology but you posed a question. Forget about the past what about today? All what I have mentioned has been discovered earlier but many of them were discovered by Muslims some by Non Muslims, some by Europeans what about things which science has not discovered? Fine, first I’ll tell you those things which science hasn’t established but yet there are high chances which Qur’an has testified and I believe in it.
For e.g. Qur’an says in Surah Shoora ch. No. 42 verse no. 29 that
“it’s Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) who has created the creatures in the heavens and in the earth and has placed creatures in them.”
So Qur’an says there is life besides this earth. Today science hasn’t proved there is life besides this earth, scientists say there are high possibilities that life will be there besides this earth. So they are sending rockets, spaceships, moon, mars. Qur’an says there is life besides this earth, I believe in it. Science may discover it tomorrow, after 5 years, after 10 years, after 100 years, Qur’an says; I believe in it.
Today there are many hypotheses how the world will end. It says that the sun will become big and the world will end, the mountains will fall down, the mountains will become smooth, the oceans will swell up, the world will enter into a black hole, many hypotheses. Many of these hypotheses not all they match with the Qur’an. Qur’an says in Surah Qiyaamah ch. No. 75 verse no. 8 and 9 that
“the sun and the moon they will join together, the sun will be buried in darkness.”
If you read Surah Takweer ch. No. 81 verse no. 1, 2 and 3 it says that
“the stars will fall down and lose their luster, the mountains will fall down in utter ruin.”
The oceans will swell up. Its mentioned in Surah Infitar ch. No. 82 verse no. 1 and 2 and 3 again “the oceans will swell up, the stars will fall down” similar to many of the hypothesis but Qur’an says, I believe in it.
Qur’an further says in Surah Anbiya ch. No. 21 verse no. 104
“We have created this creation; we will destroy it and create a new creation”
Science hasn’t discovered that yet.
Qur’an speaks about life after death, science hasn’t proved that yet. Qur’an speaks about heaven and hell, science hasn’t proved about that. Qur’an speaks about Jinn, today physiologies say extra terrestrial power. There are some people who get possessed with Jinns. Qur’an speaks about that.
Qur’an speaks about first man on earth was Adam (pbuh), science hasn’t proved. There are high possibilities that science will prove.
Now you may ask me that brother Zakir you gave such a good talk on science and technology with 100% solid proof you believe in life after death? You believe in Jinn? You believe in Heaven & Hell? You are doctor isn’t this unscientific? I said no brother, I believe, that it is scientific.
Suppose whatever the Qur’an has mentioned 80% has proved to be 100% correct, I spoke about astronomy, about geology, water cycle, oceanography, botany, biology, zoology so just hypothetically 80% what the Qur’an has mentioned suppose has been proved to be 100% correct. The remaining 20% is ambiguous, neither right neither wrong. Not even point .1 percent. Of that 20% which is ambiguous has been proved to be wrong. There is not a single verse of the Qur’an which can be proved false by established science. Hypothesis… so my logic says when 80% is 100% correct and the remaining 20% is ambiguous but not even point 1 % of that 20% is proved wrong. So my logic says that even that 20% Insha Allah will be correct. If not today, tomorrow, after 50 years, after 100 years, after 1000 years, Allahu Alam, God knows. They’ll prove there is life after death, they will prove there is Jinn, they will prove there is Hell, they will prove there is Heaven and so on and so forth, I can give another lecture on things which science hasn’t proved but InshaAllah will prove. Hope that answers the question.
Chairman: Thank you for the question. Sister’s side if you have any other question from a Non Muslim sister could you please state it.
Questioner: This is the last question from sister Vandana. Your memory and grasping is phenomenal. Is there any mention about better memory power?
Dr. Zakir: Sister asked a question that my memory is phenomenal; it’s the Grace of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Is there any verse in the Qur’an which speaks about memory? As far as people keep on asking me that what is the secret? Do you have a computer chip? What’s the secret? The secret it is given in the Qur’an. And in my Daw’ah training programme which I take for my students, I say there are 3 things required.
No. 1 The Qur’an says in Surah Ale Imran ch. No. 3 verse no. 160 that
“If Allah helps you none can overcome you, if Allah forsakes you, who is there then who can help you? so let the believers put their trust in Allah.” No. 1 is trust in Allah,
No. 2 the Qur’an says in Surah Ankabut ch. No. 29 verse no. 69
“If you strive in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), if you struggle and do jihad in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), Allah will open up your path ways.” No. 2 is hard work and
No. 3 is Allah says in Surah Anbiya ch. No. 21 verse no. 7 and Surah Nahl ch no. 16 verse 43
“fas-aloo ahla az’zikri in kuntum la ta’lamoon,”
“if you don’t know ask the person who is knowledgeable”.
The thirds is the technique. The technique which we train in our Daw’ah training programme, people ask me brother Zakir what is the technique? I tell that’s the third and the least important No. 1 is faith in Allah, with all your techniques in the world. You know many of my students have done MBA and memorizing technique triangle and horse. I don’t know whether you know about the triangle technique and this and that and pegging. Initially they are good students towards the end they come at the bottom. Allah’s help is the best. Better than any pegging or any triangle or anything No. 1. How do you get Allah’s help? If you strive in his way. You strive in his way, you have to get success. If you don’t get success you are not striving correctly in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).
Regarding technique of memory etc that is least important we have a training course, where we have a 40 days training course where we train people and MashaAllah, you’ll be shocked that even my students, Alhamdulillah, they quote ch. No. verse no., ch. No. verse no. we have Daw’ah training programme where we students from different parts of the world and we train them in how to give lectures, how to handle question-answer session. Its training and hard work.
As far as the verse of the Qur’an is concerned before the beginning of my talk I always quote a verse of the Qur’an from Surah Taa Ha ch. No. 20 verse no. 25 to 28 which says
“rabbishrah lee sadree”
This was the Dua when All Mighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) tells to Moses that go and deliver the message and before delivering the message, Moses who was a stutter, he used to stammer. And those who know me personally even I was a stammerer when I was a child and in my dream, a person can dream anything in the world. In my dream I could have dreamt of becoming the best surgeon in the world but I couldn’t have dreamt of speaking in front of 25 people because I was a stammerer. People used to ask me what is your name, my name is Za.. za.. za.. za…Zakir, that was me. Now coming in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) may be it was 10-15 years back when I got involved in the field of Daw’ah. When I started doing Daw’ah, stammering wasn’t there. When I spoke with Christian missionaries stammering used to vanish. I never thought of becoming a speaker. I came on the stage because my colleague was cold feet, I came, it clicked. And now I’m on the stage. And now by Allah’s grace I give lectures to tens of thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of people, the largest gathering is a million people live, Alhumdulillah.
That comes back to the verse of the Qur’an. When Moses was asked by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) to deliver the message to Firaun and his people he read a dua, a dua, a prayer from
Surah Taha ch. No. 20 verse no. 25 to 28 which says
rabbi ishrah lee sadree
Oh my Lord expand my breast for me, expand my center for me
rabbi ishrah lee sadree
Wayassir lee amree,
and make my task easy for me
Rabbish rah lee sadree
Wayassir lee amree,
Wahlul AAuqdatan min lisanee
Yafqahoo qawlee
And remove the impediment from my speech
because Musa (alaihe salaam) was a stammerer, I also was a stammerer, remove the impediment from my speech so that they will understand me. So the people to whom I’m delivering the message, I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) to expand my breast for me, to make my task easy for me, remove the impediment from my speech so that the people will understand me. So this is the dua which can also be used for memory but the main is having faith in Allah, second is striving hard and third is technique. Hope that answers the question.
Chairman: That would be the last question for the evening and with that we would like to end this, the second night of the 10 day international conference and exhibition brought to you by Peace vision of Islam for harmony, awareness and education. JazakAllah Khair for your attendance.
