In 1580, Bernard Palissy was the first man to describe the present day concept of ‘water cycle’. He described how water evaporates from the oceans and cools to form clouds. The clouds move inland where they rise, condense and fall as rain.
This water gathers as lakes and streams and flows back to the
ocean in a continuous cycle. In the 7th century B.C., Thales of Miletus
believed that surface spray of the oceans was picked up by the wind and
carried inland to fall as rain.
In earlier times people did not know the source of underground water. They thought the water of the oceans, under the effect
of winds, was thrust towards the interior of the continents.
They also believed that the water returned by a secret passage, or the Great Abyss. This passage is connected to the oceans and has been called the ‘Tartarus’, since Plato’s time.
Even Descartes, a great thinker of the eighteenth century, subscribed to
this view. Till the nineteenth century, Aristotle’s theory was prevalent.
According to this theory, water was condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. Today, we know that the
rainwater that seeps into the cracks of the ground is responsible for this.
The water cycle is described by the Qur’aan in the following verses:
“Seest thou not that Allah Sends down rain from The sky, and leads it Through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, Therewith, produce of various Colours.” [Al-Qur’aan 39:21]
“He sends down rain From the sky And with it gives life to The earth
after it is dead: Verily in that are Signs For those who are wise.” [Al-
Qur’aan 30:24]
“And We send down water From the sky according to (Due) measure,
and We cause it To soak in the soil; And We certainly are able To drain
it off (with ease).” [Al-Qur’aan 23:18]
No other text dating back 1400 years ago gives such an accurate description of the water cycle.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
PHYSICS: THE EXISTENCE OF SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
In ancient times a well-known theory by the name of ‘Theory of Atomism’
was widely accepted. This theory was originally proposed by the Greeks, in particular by a man called Democritus, who lived about 23 centuries ago.
Democritus and the people that came after him, assumed that the smallest unit of matter was the atom. The Arabs used to believe the same.
The Arabic word dharrah most commonly meant an atom. In recent times modern science has discovered that it is possible to split even an atom.
That the atom can be split further is a development of the 20th century.
Fourteen centuries ago this concept would have appeared unusual even to an Arab.
For him the dharrah was the limit beyond which one could not go. The following Qur’aanic verse however, refuses to acknowledge this limit:
“The Unbelievers say, ‘Never to us will come The Hour’: say, ‘Nay! But most surely, By my Lord, it will come Upon you – by Him Who knows the unseen – From Whom is not hidden The least little atom In the Heavens or on earth: Nor is there anything less Than that, or greater, but Is in the Record Perspicuous.’” [Al-Qur’aan 34:3]
(A similar message is conveyed in the Qur’an in 10:61.)
This verse refers to the Omniscience of God, His knowledge of all things,
hidden or apparent. It then goes further and says that God is aware of
everything, including what is smaller or bigger than the atom. Thus the verse clearly shows that it is possible for something smaller than the atom to exist, a fact discovered only recently by modern science.
was widely accepted. This theory was originally proposed by the Greeks, in particular by a man called Democritus, who lived about 23 centuries ago.
Democritus and the people that came after him, assumed that the smallest unit of matter was the atom. The Arabs used to believe the same.
The Arabic word dharrah most commonly meant an atom. In recent times modern science has discovered that it is possible to split even an atom.
That the atom can be split further is a development of the 20th century.
Fourteen centuries ago this concept would have appeared unusual even to an Arab.
For him the dharrah was the limit beyond which one could not go. The following Qur’aanic verse however, refuses to acknowledge this limit:
“The Unbelievers say, ‘Never to us will come The Hour’: say, ‘Nay! But most surely, By my Lord, it will come Upon you – by Him Who knows the unseen – From Whom is not hidden The least little atom In the Heavens or on earth: Nor is there anything less Than that, or greater, but Is in the Record Perspicuous.’” [Al-Qur’aan 34:3]
(A similar message is conveyed in the Qur’an in 10:61.)
This verse refers to the Omniscience of God, His knowledge of all things,
hidden or apparent. It then goes further and says that God is aware of
everything, including what is smaller or bigger than the atom. Thus the verse clearly shows that it is possible for something smaller than the atom to exist, a fact discovered only recently by modern science.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Concerning the ritual prayer for guidance in choosing the best option [Salat al-Istikhara],
and the prayer of supplication [dua] appropriate to it
According to a traditional report transmitted on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, it was Jabir ibn 'Abdi'llah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said:
"Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would sometimes teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an. :
"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:
'"O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.
- Allahumma inni astakhiru-ka bi-'ilmi-ka wa astaqdiru-ka bi-qudrati-ka wa as'alu-ka min fadli-ka 'l-'azim fa-inna-ka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu wa Anta 'Allamu 'l-ghuyub
O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it.
- Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha 'l-amra khairun li fi dini wa dunyaya wa akhirati wa 'aqibati amri wa 'ajili-hi wa ajili-h :fa-'qdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fi-h
If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.'"
- wa illa fa-'srif-hu 'an-ni wa yassir liya 'l-khaira haithu kana ma kuntu wa raddi-ni bi-qada'i-ka ya Arhama 'r-rahimin
More questions on how to perform isthikhara
Question: I have prayed isthikhara numerous times and never get clear dreams or feelings. I sometimes get a good or bad feeling, but they are not usually consistent. Several people I know are confused on the topic of salatul-Istikhara. Is it meant to be prayed several days in a row until a decision is made, or only once? Is it meant to be prayed after one has pretty much made up their mind, or when someone hasn't really figured out what to do? Are their various valid opinions?
Answer:
When one is not clear about the result of the istikhara, the fuqaha mention that it is recommend to repeat it, upto seven times if necessary (usually done on separate occassions). [cf: Radd al-Muhtar]
It is not necessary that you get a dream or even a "feeling." Rather, the istikhara is a prayer that Allah guide you towards that which is best (khayr) for you. If you do the prayer of guidance (istikhara) with the proper manners, the most important of which is to truly consign the matter to Allah and suspend your own inclinations, then Allah will make events unfold in the direction that is the best for your worldly and next-worldly affairs.
In general, when it is not possible to perform the istikhara prayer itself (such as when one is out on the road, or in one's menstrual period), it is recommended to simply read the dua itself. [Radd al-Muhtar]
The istikhara prayer may be made for a specific matter or be made for a general seeking of all that is best. Some scholars, including Imam Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha`rani and Ibn `Arafah before him saw this kind of istikhara prayer as being superior. Others, including Shaykh Ibn al-Arabi, recommended performing a general istikhara prayer for all that is good every day, ideally at the time of the Duha prayer (after sunrise).
Imam al-Nawawi mentioned that before the istikhara prayer, one should seek advice (istishara) from those whose knowledge, wisdom, and concern one is confident. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and others mentioned that one of the benefits of this is to further distance oneself from the desires of one's own egotistic inclinations.
It is recommended to open the dua of istikhara [below], with praise of Allah and sending blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), and to close it in this manner, too.
Like other duas, it is recommended that one face the qibla.
It is disliked to 'hasten' in seeking the answer to one's istikhara, like other duas, because the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, "Your prayers are answered, unless you hasten, saying, 'I prayed, but no answer came.'"
One should be pleased with what Allah chooses for one, and not seek to follow one's whims after the answer to one's supplication becomes clear.
Answered by Sidi Faraz Rabbani of the Hanafi fiqh list.
Someone else wants to do istikhara for me
Question: There is a pious lady in our community who has offered to pray istikhara for me to help me make a decision for marriage...[..] my question to you is if you know if this idea of relying on someone else's istikhara is a good idea and compatible with the teachings of Islam on how to make dua and decisions. Should I follow her advice (according to her dreams and feelings) to me on this issue or not?
Answer:
This is one means you can take: to seek the istikhara of a pious person. The permissibility of this was mentioned explicitly by the Malikis and Shafi`is. The Hanafis do not appear to have discussed this issue [al-Mawsu`a al-Fiqhhiyya, Kuwait], but there is nothing in it that would indicate its impermissibility. Rather, it is merely the taking of a means, which is permitted as long as one knows that the one who gives and takes, benefits and harms is Allah alone.
In such cases, though, one should not leave doing the istikhara oneself.
Answered by Sidi Faraz Rabbani of the Hanafi fiqh list.
Follow-up question on istikhara
Question: I received an email regarding istikhara and I had further questions regarding it if you could please clarify. I too have attempted to do istikhara regarding marriage and was unable to get some sort of dream or "feeling" as people commonly say. You had responded that one should do istikhara 7 times. Is this 7 times in a row? Also when is an appropriate time to perform istikhara? Some places I have read after isha, others after fajr. What is advisable? Must one also memorize the duaa or is it ok to read it from a book? It would be very helpful to me if you could perhaps provide elaboration on the correct manner in which to perform istikhara.
Answer:
1. 7 times on separate occasions. When possible, on separate nights (e.g. for big non-urgent issues);
2. Any time, but after isha, before sleep is best.
3. After fajr??? It is not permitted to pray anything after the fard of fajr except makeup prayers until sunrise. And after fajr time comes in, one only prays 2 rakats of the sunna of fajr. All other prayers (including the prayer of greeting the masjid) are disliked, besides the fard of fajr itself, until sunrise.
4. It is best to memorize the dua, and to actually be ASKING Allah with it, not just reading it out or merely SAYING it. Allah's turning to one is commensurate to one's turning to Him.
5. The best way to know how the istikhara prayer works is to pray it regularly, for big and small specific matters and for general guidance. It becomes a knack, the scholars say.
And Allah alone gives success.
Answered by Sidi Faraz Rabbani of the Hanafi fiqh list.
See also The Etiquette of Du'â
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