Signs & Science: The Potential in The Ordinary

DRAFT

كِتٰبٌ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ اِلَيۡكَ مُبٰرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوۡۤا اٰيٰتِهٖ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ‏ ٢٩

[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.

[Al-Quran 38:29, Translation: Saheeh International]

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was given a Book, and through it Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ granted faith and guidance to billions of people all over the world.

Moses (Musa عليه السلام)’ staff

وَمَا تِلۡكَ بِيَمِيۡنِكَ يٰمُوۡسٰى‏ ١٧ قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَۚ اَتَوَكَّؤُا عَلَيۡهَا وَاَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلٰى غَـنَمِىۡ وَلِىَ فِيۡهَا مَاٰرِبُ اُخۡرٰى‏ ١٨ قَالَ اَلۡقِهَا يٰمُوۡسٰى‏ ١٩

And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses." [Allāh] said, "Throw it down, O Moses."

[Al-Quran 20:17-19, Translation: Saheeh International]

Moses (Musa عليه السلام)’ staff was an ordinary daily use item, and through it Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ performed many miracles.

First, it was turned into a snake, and then returned to its former condition.

Moses (Musa عليه السلام) was sent to The Pharaoh equipped with just his staff, and it turned into a serpent. The serpent ate up the magic, and the great sorcerers prostrated to Moses (Musa عليه السلام)’ God, submitting to the true religion, and immediately abandoned their sorcery. They didn’t even use their sorcery to try to escape the Pharaoh’s cruel punishment.

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During the Exodus, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ asked Moses (Musa عليه السلام) to strike the sea with his staff, and Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ parted it, paving the way for the Bani Israel to cross the sea, and to drown the mighty Pharaoh and his army.

David (Daud عليه السلام)’ sling

وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوۡا لِجَـالُوۡتَ وَجُنُوۡدِهٖ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَآ اَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرًا وَّثَبِّتۡ اَقۡدَامَنَا وَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡکٰفِرِيۡنَؕ‏ ٢٥٠ فَهَزَمُوۡهُمۡ بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ ۙ وَقَتَلَ دَاوٗدُ جَالُوۡتَ وَاٰتٰٮهُ اللّٰهُ الۡمُلۡكَ وَالۡحِکۡمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهٗ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ؕ وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ اللّٰهِ النَّاسَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ بِبَعۡضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الۡاَرۡضُ وَلٰـکِنَّ اللّٰهَ ذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَى الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ٢٥١ تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ اللّٰهِ نَـتۡلُوۡهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِالۡحَـقِّؕ وَاِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ‏ ٢٥٢

And when they went forth to [face] Goliath and his soldiers, they said, "Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people." So they defeated them by permission of Allāh, and David killed Goliath, and Allāh gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allāh checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the worlds. These are the verses of Allāh which We recite to you, [O Muḥammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the messengers.

[Al-Quran 2:250-252, Translation: Saheeh International]

49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P’lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground. 50 Thus David defeated the P’lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P’lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the P’lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it.

[The Bible, 1 Samuel 17 CJB]

To defeat the giant Goliath (Jalut), all that David (Daud عليه السلام) needed was a sling and a stone.

Jonah (Yunus عليه السلام)'s single sentence

فَلَوۡلَا كَانَتۡ قَرۡيَةٌ اٰمَنَتۡ فَنَفَعَهَاۤ اِيۡمَانُهَاۤ اِلَّا قَوۡمَ يُوۡنُسَ ۚؕ لَمَّاۤ اٰمَنُوۡا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمۡ عَذَابَ الۡخِزۡىِ فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَمَتَّعۡنٰهُمۡ اِلٰى حِيۡنٍ‏ ٩٨

Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a time.

[Al-Quran 10:98, Translation: Saheeh International]

The word of Adonai came to Yonah a second time: 2 “Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it the message I will give you.” 3 So Yonah set out and went to Ninveh, as Adonai had said. Now Ninveh was such a large city that it took three days just to cross it. 4 Yonah began his entry into the city and had finished only his first day of proclaiming, ‘In forty days Ninveh will be overthrown,’ 5 when the people of Ninveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. 6 When the news reached the king of Ninveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 He then had this proclamation made throughout Ninveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, no person or animal, herd or flock, is to put anything in his mouth; they are neither to eat nor drink water. 8 They must be covered with sackcloth, both people and animals; and they are to cry out to God with all their might — let each of them turn from his evil way and from the violence they practice. 9 Who knows? Maybe God will change his mind, relent and turn from his fierce anger; and then we won’t perish.”

10 When God saw by their deeds that they had turned from their evil way, he relented and did not bring on them the punishment he had threatened.

[The Bible, Jonah 3 CJB]

To save the sinful city of that era, all that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ gave Jonah (Yunus عليه السلام) was a sentence. He preached and they repented immediately, all of them, and thus were saved from annihilation.

Job (Ayub عليه السلام)'s cool bath and drink

وَاذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَاۤ اَيُّوۡبَۘ اِذۡ نَادٰى رَبَّهٗۤ اَنِّىۡ مَسَّنِىَ الشَّيۡطٰنُ بِنُصۡبٍ وَّعَذَابٍؕ‏ ٤١ اُرۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَ ۚ هٰذَا مُغۡتَسَلٌ ۢ بَارِدٌ وَّشَرَابٌ‏ ٤٢

And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment." [So he was told], "Strike [the ground] with your foot; this is a [spring for a] cool bath and drink."

[Al-Quran 38:41-42, Translation: Saheeh International]

All that was needed to cure Job (Ayub عليه السلام) was something very cold to bathe with, and to drink.

Adam عليه السلام eating from a forbidden tree

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَاۤ اَنۡفُسَنَا وَاِنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَـنَكُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ‏ ٢٣ قَالَ اهۡبِطُوۡا بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَـعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۚ وَلَـكُمۡ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرٌّ وَّمَتَاعٌ اِلٰى حِيۡنٍ‏ ٢٤ قَالَ فِيۡهَا تَحۡيَوۡنَ وَفِيۡهَا تَمُوۡتُوۡنَ وَمِنۡهَا تُخۡرَجُوۡنَ‏ ٢٥ يٰبَنِىۡۤ اٰدَمَ قَدۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسًا يُّوَارِىۡ سَوۡاٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيۡشًا ؕ وَلِبَاسُ التَّقۡوٰى ۙ ذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ مِنۡ اٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُوۡنَ‏ ٢٦ يٰبَنِىۡۤ اٰدَمَ لَا يَفۡتِنَـنَّكُمُ الشَّيۡطٰنُ كَمَاۤ اَخۡرَجَ اَبَوَيۡكُمۡ مِّنَ الۡجَـنَّةِ يَنۡزِعُ عَنۡهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوۡءاٰتِهِمَا ؕ اِنَّهٗ يَرٰٮكُمۡ هُوَ وَقَبِيۡلُهٗ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا تَرَوۡنَهُمۡ ؕ اِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا الشَّيٰطِيۡنَ اَوۡلِيَآءَ لِلَّذِيۡنَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ‏ ٢٧

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers." [Allāh] said, "Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a time." He said, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth." O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allāh that perhaps they will remember. O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe.

[Al-Quran 7:23-27, Translation: Saheeh International]

All that was needed to harm Adam عليه السلام was to eat from a certain forbidden tree. As soon as they both ate from it, they harmed their soul, and their body. They lost their natural cover. Their clothes were stripped off.

Desires & Deception

۞ يَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِؕ قُلۡ فِيۡهِمَآ اِثۡمٌ کَبِيۡرٌ وَّمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَاِثۡمُهُمَآ اَکۡبَرُ مِنۡ نَّفۡعِهِمَا ؕ وَيَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ مَاذَا يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ قُلِ الۡعَفۡوَؕ كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَـكُمُ الۡاٰيٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُوۡنَۙ‏ ٢١٩ فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِؕ وَيَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡيَتٰمٰىؕ قُلۡ اِصۡلَاحٌ لَّهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ ؕ وَاِنۡ تُخَالِطُوۡهُمۡ فَاِخۡوَانُكُمۡؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَعۡلَمُ الۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ الۡمُصۡلِحِؕ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَاَعۡنَتَكُمۡؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزِيۡزٌ حَكِيۡمٌ‏ ٢٢٠

They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess [beyond needs]." Thus Allāh makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought To this world and the Hereafter. And they ask you about orphans. Say, "Improvement for them is best. And if you mix your affairs with theirs - they are your brothers. And Allāh knows the corrupter from the amender. And if Allāh had willed, He could have put you in difficulty. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise."

[Al-Quran 2:219-220, Translation: Saheeh International]

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَيۡسِرُ وَالۡاَنۡصَابُ وَالۡاَزۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّيۡطٰنِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوۡهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ‏ ٩٠ اِنَّمَا يُرِيۡدُ الشَّيۡطٰنُ اَنۡ يُّوۡقِعَ بَيۡنَكُمُ الۡعَدَاوَةَ وَالۡبَغۡضَآءَ فِى الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمۡ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلٰوةِ ۚ فَهَلۡ اَنۡـتُمۡ مُّنۡتَهُوۡنَ‏ ٩١

O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allāh], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allāh and from prayer. So will you not desist?

[Al-Quran 5:90-91, Translation: Saheeh International]

All that the devil needs to arouse sinful desires is for humans to consume some intoxicants.

Our wealth is something that we will be made accountable for on the Day of Judgement. Wasteful spending earns sins. ...

Mosquitoes

۞ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَسۡتَحۡـىٖۤ اَنۡ يَّضۡرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوۡضَةً فَمَا فَوۡقَهَا ؕ فَاَمَّا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا فَيَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّهُ الۡحَـقُّ مِنۡ رَّبِّهِمۡۚ وَاَمَّا الَّذِيۡنَ ڪَفَرُوۡا فَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ مَاذَآ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِهٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهٖ ڪَثِيۡرًا وَّيَهۡدِىۡ بِهٖ كَثِيۡرًا ؕ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهٖۤ اِلَّا الۡفٰسِقِيۡنَۙ ٢٦ الَّذِيۡنَ يَنۡقُضُوۡنَ عَهۡدَ اللّٰهِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مِيۡثَاقِهٖ وَيَقۡطَعُوۡنَ مَآ اَمَرَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖۤ اَنۡ يُّوۡصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُوۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ الۡخٰسِرُوۡنَ‏ ٢٧

Indeed, Allāh is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allāh intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient, Who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth. It is those who are the losers.

[Al-Quran 2:26-27, Translation: Saheeh International]

A tiny, female mosquito, going from human to human, foraging for a blood meal, is all it takes to spread dangerous diseases. Mosquitoes have been known to bring diseases to humans since thousands of years. …

Noah's ark

فَفَتَحۡنَاۤ اَبۡوَابَ السَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍ مُّنۡهَمِرٍ ۖ‏ ١١ وَّفَجَّرۡنَا الۡاَرۡضَ عُيُوۡنًا فَالۡتَقَى الۡمَآءُ عَلٰٓى اَمۡرٍ قَدۡ قُدِرَۚ‏ ١٢ وَحَمَلۡنٰهُ عَلٰى ذَاتِ اَلۡوَاحٍ وَّدُسُرٍۙ‏ ١٣ تَجۡرِىۡ بِاَعۡيُنِنَاۚ جَزَآءً لِّمَنۡ كَانَ كُفِرَ‏ ١٤ وَلَقَدْ تَّرَكۡنٰهَاۤ اٰيَةً فَهَلۡ مِنۡ مُّدَّكِرٍ‏ ١٥ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِىۡ وَنُذُرِ‏ ١٦ وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِنۡ مُّدَّكِرٍ‏ ١٧

Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined. And We carried him on a [construction of] planks and nails, Sailing under Our observation as reward for he who had been denied. And We left it as a sign, so is there any who will remember? And how [severe] were My punishment and warning. And We have certainly made the Qur’ān easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

[Al-Quran 54:11-17, Translation: Saheeh International]

A simple construction of planks and nails was used to save the few who believed Noah (Nuh عليه السلام).

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Repentance

اَفَمِنۡ هٰذَا الۡحَدِيۡثِ تَعۡجَبُوۡنَۙ‏ ٥٩ وَتَضۡحَكُوۡنَ وَلَا تَبۡكُوۡنَۙ‏ ٦٠ وَاَنۡتُمۡ سٰمِدُوۡنَ‏ ٦١ فَاسۡجُدُوۡا لِلّٰهِ وَاعۡبُدُوۡا ۩ ٦٢

Then at this statement do you wonder? And you laugh and do not weep While you are proudly sporting? So prostrate to Allāh and worship [Him].

[Al-Quran 53:59-62, Translation: Saheeh International]

To be forgiven, all that's needed is sincere repentance: weeping and shedding tears in front of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎

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To defeat the USA and their allies, all that the Afghanis needed was unwavering faith and trust in Allah عزوجل . While the world struggled with Covid-19 disease, the Afghanis fearlessly continued their resistance till eventually the invading troops had to withdraw.

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