Signs & Science: factual accuracy

Showing posts with label factual accuracy. Show all posts

Friday, December 15, 2023

The Example of The Mosquito

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ

الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Indeed, Allah (is) not ashamed to set forth an example (like) even (of) a female mosquito and (even) something above it her. Then as for those who believed, [thus] they will know that it (is) the truth from their Lord. And as for those who disbelieved [thus] they will say what (did) intend Allah by this example? He lets go astray by it many and He guides by it many. And not He lets go astray by it except the defiantly disobedient.

Those who break (the) Covenant (of) Allah from after its ratification, and [they] cut what has ordered Allah it to be joined and [they] spread corruption in the earth. Those, they (are) the losers.

How (can) you disbelieve in Allah? While you were dead then He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life, then to Him you will be returned.

[Al-Quran 2:26-27-28, Translation: Word for word, edited in italics for clarity]

Truth from their Lord: The Quran is true to the smallest finest details. The female mosquito is who feasts on humans and spread diseases. Upon her back is another tiny creature who feasts upon her.

Q2:26 presents the example of the female mosquito as evidence of factual accuracy, while Q2:23 challenges the doubter to produce a quran like this if they think its not a revelation from Allah:

وَاِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ فِىۡ رَيۡبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلٰى عَبۡدِنَا فَاۡتُوۡا بِسُوۡرَةٍ مِّنۡ مِّثۡلِهٖ وَادۡعُوۡا شُهَدَآءَكُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ ٢٣ فَاِنۡ

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a Surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah , if you should be truthful.

[Al-Quran 2:23, Translation: Sahih International]

Surah alBaqarah is the longest surah in The Quran.

Nobody can produce a quran as accurate as this Quran which has been sent in truth from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ to guide humans.

To quote from an earlier post:

بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا
The Quran specifically uses the female gender of the mosquito (بَعُوضَةً), and the female pronoun (هَا) to specify the creature which is upon her. First, let us explore the example of a female mosquito, and then explore the creature upon her.
بَعُوضَةً (female mosquito)
To quote Wikipedia [as on October 8, 2022]:
Mosquito mouthparts are very specialized, particularly those of the females, which in most species are adapted to piercing skin and then sucking blood. Apart from bloodsucking, the females generally also drink assorted fluids rich in dissolved sugar, such as nectar and honeydew, to obtain the energy they need. For this, their blood-sucking mouthparts are perfectly adequate. In contrast, male mosquitoes are not bloodsuckers; they only drink sugary fluids. Accordingly, their mouthparts do not require the same degree of specialization as those of females.[65]

Female Mosquito: Studies reveal that female mosquitoes generally mate only once, store the sperms, and with that, fertilise several batches of hundreds of eggs. To do this, the female mosquitoes need human blood meals. The female mosquito receives germs when drawing the blood of humans, and transmits the same to other humans when she next draws blood from subsequent human beings. Upon the female mosquito is yet another germ-infested creature biting her.

Human diseases transmitted through female mosquitoes is a worldwide problem that has been plaguing humans for millennia. More on this at: Mosquito-borne Diseases

Public Enemy #1: Mosquitoes are known to spread many human diseases. They are probably cited to cause more illness and death than any other vector. They are feared as the natural public enemy number one. As such, they have been feared globally, and studied very closely, in great detail. Almost everyone is aware of their existence. They are dangerous and harmful.

After presenting the exact detail about our known public enemy number one, so that we can be sure that this book is the truth from our Lord سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ , the next rukuh goes on to describe the enmity of Iblis to Adam عليه السلام and his family. Iblis, the angel who refused to prostrate to Adam عليه السلام , in defiance and arrogance, also caused Adam عليه السلام and his wife to ignore Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ 's guidance and do that which was forbidden, being led by temptation.

Iblis caused Adam عليه السلام to be removed from the Garden he was in.

This Quran is the truth from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ . It warns us about our unseen enemy, Iblis, who is trying to tempt us all into defiance and sinful disobedience. He infects our thoughts with his whispers. He suggestions lead us to cause harm to ourselves and those around us. He is after our soul. He is far more dangerous and harmful that any other creature. He wants to lead as many humans to eternal Hell as possible. We, the descendants of Adam عليه السلام have been duly warned against Iblis and his progeny.

Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ wants to forgive us, and guide us to the Gardens of Eternity.

We have been given free-will. There is no compulsion. The choice is ours.

Knowing the Truth vs being blind to it

After presenting the example of the female mosquito, and stating that the defiantly disobedient (الْفَاسِقِينَ) are misguided by it, the next ayat of Surah alBaqarah defines the term. The following ayaat from Surah arRa`d reiterates that statement in more detail:

لِلَّذِيۡنَ اسۡتَجَابُوۡا لِرَبِّهِمُ الۡحُسۡنٰىؕ وَالَّذِيۡنَ لَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيۡبُوۡا لَهٗ لَوۡ اَنَّ لَهُمۡ مَّا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ جَمِيۡعًا وَّمِثۡلَهٗ مَعَهٗ لَافۡتَدَوۡا بِهٖؕ اُولٰۤٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ سُوۡۤءُ الۡحِسَابِ ۙ وَمَاۡوٰٮهُمۡ جَهَـنَّمُؕ وَبِئۡسَ الۡمِهَادُ‏ ١٨ ۞ اَفَمَنۡ يَّعۡلَمُ اَنَّمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡكَ مِنۡ رَّبِّكَ الۡحَـقُّ كَمَنۡ هُوَ اَعۡمٰىؕ اِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِۙ‏ ١٩ الَّذِيۡنَ يُوۡفُوۡنَ بِعَهۡدِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا يَنۡقُضُوۡنَ الۡمِيۡثَاقَۙ‏ ٢٠ وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَصِلُوۡنَ مَاۤ اَمَرَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖۤ اَنۡ يُّوۡصَلَ وَيَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ وَ يَخَافُوۡنَ سُوۡۤءَ الۡحِسَابِؕ‏ ٢١ وَالَّذِيۡنَ صَبَرُوا ابۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَاَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاَنۡفَقُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰهُمۡ سِرًّا وَّعَلَانِيَةً وَّيَدۡرَءُوۡنَ بِالۡحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ اُولٰۤٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عُقۡبَى الدَّارِۙ‏ ٢٢ جَنّٰتُ عَدۡنٍ يَّدۡخُلُوۡنَهَا وَمَنۡ صَلَحَ مِنۡ اٰبَآٮِٕهِمۡ وَاَزۡوَاجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيّٰتِهِمۡ وَالۡمَلٰٓٮِٕكَةُ يَدۡخُلُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ مِّنۡ كُلِّ بَابٍۚ‏ ٢٣ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ بِمَا صَبَرۡتُمۡ فَنِعۡمَ عُقۡبَى الدَّارِؕ‏ ٢٤ وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَنۡقُضُوۡنَ عَهۡدَ اللّٰهِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مِيۡثَاقِهٖ وَيَقۡطَعُوۡنَ مَاۤ اَمَرَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖۤ اَنۡ يُّوۡصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُوۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِۙ اُولٰۤٮِٕكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوۡۤءُ الدَّارِ‏ ٢٥ اَللّٰهُ يَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُؕ وَفَرِحُوۡا بِالۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا ؕ وَمَا الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَا فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ اِلَّا مَتَاعٌ‏ ٢٦

For those who have responded to their Lord is the best [reward], but those who did not respond to Him - if they had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby. Those will have the worst account, and their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the resting place. Then is he who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? They will only be reminded who are people of understanding - Those who fulfill the covenant of Allāh and do not break the contract, And those who join that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account, And those who are patient, seeking the face [i.e., acceptance] of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home - Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], "Peace [i.e., security] be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home." But those who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home. Allāh extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief] enjoyment.

[Al-Quran 13:18-26, Translation: Sahih International]

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Last updated: December 31, 2023

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Surah alBaqarah QnA

Some questions from Surah alBaqarah

DRAFT

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Explained in Detail

Creation

Orientation: Right or Left

Bliss & Realm Magnificent

Fuel of Hell: Humans & Stones

For complete list, see Blog Archive

Most people tend to not to study the scriptures literally and objectively, resorting instead to other sources to take religious guidance, or to philosophy and metaphysics in their search for God.

The Quran [15:86] claims that it has been sent by Allah, the Master Creator, knowing all things. It also repeatedly insists that it is detailed and diversified. If that is the case, then all information contained in this book must be correct, and it should be able to describe creation accurately.

People ask what is the point of my blog: http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/ The point of the blog is to study the factual accuracy of the Quran, and thereby verify that it is indeed from the Master Creator. I hope and pray that this blog helps establish how essential it is to study and contemplate upon each verse, without any prejudices or assumptions.

Abstract

Starting with verses 7:52 and 7:58, the relevant verses of the Quran have been collected in this post to help realise the significance of the Quran’s insistence upon itself being well-explained. Life is an open-book exam, and we cannot afford to put off taking guidance from the Quran. As verse 7:53 begins with the question: ‘Do they await except its result?’

Full Text

Billions of Muslims believe the Quran to be a divine scripture. The Quran itself claims to be sent by Allah, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in it. It also claims that it is divinely protected from alterations. Thus, all verses in the arabic text of the Quran should be in their original pristine form, as revealed, and must be treated as such by all those who believe the Quran to be divinely revealed. This implies that each word of each verse merits serious attention, as it is a message from the Lord of the Worlds.

The Quran also repeatedly claims that it is ‘explained in detail’. Verse 15:86 states that it has been sent by the Master Creator, knowing all things. It insists that it is detailed and diversified. Thus, such verses are collected here to study just how many times the Quran insists upon itself being ‘well-explained’ and consequently, to realise how seriously we must consider this text, as the consequence of accepting or rejecting the guidance is also detailed in the Book.

Life is an open-book exam, and we cannot afford to put off taking guidance from the Quran. As verse 7:53 begins with the question: ‘Do they await except its result?’

الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا ۚ فَالْيَوْمَ نَنسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاء

يَوْمِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ

وَلَقَدْ جِئْنَاهُم بِكِتَابٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُ ۚ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَاءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا لَنَا أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ ۚ قَدْ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ

[Al-Qur’an 7:51-53, translator: Sahih International] Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded." So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses. And We had certainly brought them a Book which We detailed by knowledge - as guidance and mercy to a people who believe. Do they await except its result? The Day its result comes those who had ignored it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth, so are there [now] any intercessors to intercede for us or could we be sent back to do other than we used to do?" They will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.

http://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=pos%3Av+%28II%29+root%3AfSl

(6:55:2) nufaṣṣilu We explain وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ

(6:97:13) faṣṣalnā We have made clear قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(6:98:10) faṣṣalnā We have made clear فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ

(6:119:11) faṣṣala He (has) explained in detail وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُمْ مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ

(6:126:6) faṣṣalnā We have detailed وَهَٰذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

(7:32:23) nufaṣṣilu We explain كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(7:52:4) faṣṣalnāhu which We have explained وَلَقَدْ جِئْنَاهُمْ بِكِتَابٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ

(7:174:2) nufaṣṣilu We explain وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

(9:11:10) wanufaṣṣilu And We explain in detail فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(10:5:20) yufaṣṣilu He explains مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(10:24:40) nufaṣṣilu We explain كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

(11:1:6) fuṣṣilat explained in detail الر كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِنْ لَدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

(13:2:21) yufaṣṣilu He details يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ

(17:12:22) faṣṣalnāhu We have explained it وَلِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلًا

(30:28:24) nufaṣṣilu We explain كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

(41:3:2) fuṣṣilat are detailed كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(41:44:7) fuṣṣilat are explained in detail وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا أَعْجَمِيًّا لَقَالُوا لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ

http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=fSl#(7:52:4)

The triliteral root fā ṣād lām (ف ص ل) occurs 43 times in the Quran, in nine derived forms:

five times as the form I verb faṣala (فَصَلَ)

17 times as the form II verb faṣṣala (فَصَّلَ)

three times as the noun fiṣāl (فِصَال)

nine times as the nominal faṣl (فَصْل)

once as the noun faṣīlat (فَصِيلَت)

once as the adjective mufaṣṣalāt (مُّفَصَّلَٰت)

once as the active participle fāṣilīn (فَٰصِلِين)

five times as the form II verbal noun tafṣīl (تَفْصِيل)

once as the form II passive participle mufaṣṣal (مُفَصَّل)

The translations below are brief glosses intended as a guide to meaning. An Arabic word may have a range of meanings depending on context. Click on a word for more linguistic information, or to suggestion a correction.

Verb (form I) - to set out, to depart, to judge

(2:249:2) faṣala set out فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُمْ بِنَهَرٍ

(12:94:2) faṣalati departed وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ

(22:17:13) yafṣilu will judge إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

(32:25:4) yafṣilu will judge إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

(60:3:8) yafṣilu He will judge لَنْ تَنْفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ

Verb (form II) - to make clear, to explain in detail