Genomics and 'Genomatic' Cleaning of Self and Society

    At the functional level of life, man has been equipped with wide variety of forces and functions in his genes (human genome). They determine traits and characteristics of his person and personality. Intelligence has been strengthened with super cerebral programming. Human faculties are further guided by various types and levels of guidance (A chapter titled 'Ihdinaa' in 'The Gateway to the Quran, by Shahzado Shaikh, provides detailed explanations). In this sense translation of the term human genome seems to be closer to Nafs (self). Process of purification starts at these levels, leading to spiritual realms. Transcendental experience is not possible without attaining purification in temporal traits and worldly ways.

Biologists have made considerable progress in identifying special class of genes, that shape behavior of an organism or a being toward others of its species. These social behavior genes promise to yield deep insights into how brains are constructed for certain complex tasks. Social behavior genes present a particular puzzle since they involve neural circuits in brain, often set off by some environmental cue to which the animal responds. Understanding genetic basis of social behavior in animals is bound to help study human behavior also.

Researchers have reported on many roles of genes, including sexual behavior. One gene is known to promote faithful pair bonding and good parental behavior. In the glad tidings of a son to Zakariya (Peace be upon him), Allah, the Creator-Maker, informed him about purity and other goodly charcateristics of examplary righteous behaviour of Yahya (Peace be upon him): 3-39, 19-7 and 21-90. Similarly Mary (may Allah be pleased with her) was informed about character and charcteristics of Jesus (Peace be upon him) before his birth (3-48 to 50). Allah has mentioned many biological and genetic processes in the creation, shaping and making personality of man.

Scientists have discovered how a gene is naturally modulated so as to produce a spectrum of behaviors from monogamy to polygamy, each of which may be advantageous in different ecological circumstances. This may perhaps provide some clue for scientific investigation into human aspects of this issue in peculiar social situations. Another gene is known to be involved in the male's elaborate suite of courtship behaviors. In human sphere the Quran tells that man has been strengthened by degrees over woman to shoulder higher responsibilities in physical and social activities (4-34). Research has established that not only some genes but even some special features of a gene work differently in males and females

Experiments show that different behaviors are controlled by a gene, which is switched on in a specific set of neurons in brain. The gene is arranged in a series of blocks. Different combinations of blocks are chosen to make different protein products. The selection of blocks is controlled by a promoter, a region of DNA that lies near but outside the gene itself.

"But you will not, except as Allah Wills". 76-30 :

DNA's dynamism is not visible in its material makeup. Although the wonder inside the cell is no less amazing, but the greater wonder outside is more flabbergasting that who coordinates subsequent (cell) multiplication into and activities of the two, four and so on and who decides which each of the cell will ultimately be responsible for the 'development' of separate systems e.g., sight, hearing, etc.

"It is He (Allah), Who has created for hearing (ears), eyes (sight), and hearts (understanding)" 23-78.

"Who (Allah) made everything? He has created good, and He began the creation of man from clay.

Then He made his offspring from semen of despised water. Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul; and He gave you hearing (ears), sights (eyes) and hearts. Little is the thanks you give!" 32-7 to 9. "Verily, We created man in the best stature (mould)" 59-4.

Soon the scientists may have to admit that there is yet some other Super-Natural Act, the Ultimate Eternal Truth, which holds the control board of the machine, seemingly placed on the auto-mode. (Shahzado Shaikh, Theophany in Megaverse, Unto Light, p.17)

Islam emphasises not only purification of self but whole society and its environment, as given in the comprhensive code of life, called Ad-Diin. Researchers are learning that in behavior, an organism's genome is closely linked to its environment, and that there can be elaborate feedback between the two: Honeybees spend their first two to three weeks of adult life as nurses and then switch to jobs outside the hive as foragers for the remaining three weeks. If all foragers are removed from a hive, the nurse bees will sense the foragers' absence through a pheromone and assume their own foraging roles earlier. As the colony ages however, there are too few nurses, so some bees stay as nurses far longer than usual. Evidently the division of labor among bees in a hive is socially regulated through mechanisms that somehow activate different sets of genes in the bees' brains. Examine 16-68 & 69 and other verses in the Quran relating to small creatures and animals. A remarkable instance of genome-environment interaction has been discovered in maternal behavior of rats. Pups that receive lots of licking and grooming from their mothers during first week of life are less fearful in adulthood and more phlegmatic in response to stress than are pups that get less personal care.

The Quran all along emphasizes personal, parental, societal, and environmental responsibility and accountability in all behaviour. The Bible also makes ceaseless effort in inculcating behavioural norms which affect generations together. Obstinate and rebelious groups and nations, who violate laws collectively and jointly, get obscured and obliterated from geography and history of the planet, and may take generations before any reawakening and rennaissance; if at all, it takes place:

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for, I am the Lord, thy God . I am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me." (Exodus 20- 4 & 5)

If obstinacy and rebelion get hardened and ingrained in genome-environment interaction system, then evil-livers are collectively cut out from their roots and dumped in dunes of ruination. Carefully consider some examples of those who were severely punished: 10-33, 2-59, 6-49, 7-162 to 165 and 29-34, others, whose genome was changed and turned into apes: 7-166, and more obstinate, rebelious evil-livers, who were wiped out from the globe: 11-81 to 83, and 71-21 to 27.

Michael J. Meaney and his colleagues at McGill University, Montreal, reported that a gene in the brain of a well-groomed pup is chemically modified during grooming period and remains so throughout life. The modification makes the gene produce more of a product that damps down the brain's stress response. It allows to transmit the behavior to the young through the same good-grooming procedure, just as the stressed-out mothers transmit their fearfulness to their offspring.

Grooming, training and taming of the highly endowed and bestowed social behaviour genes in human genome (nafs) is the real trial or test for man:

"It it He (Allah) Who has made you agents, inheritors of the earth. He has raised you in ranks, some above others, that He may try you in gifts, He has given you. For, your Lord is quick in punishment. Yet, He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." 6-165 (Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali )

"And it is He (Allah) Who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others, that He may try you in that, which He has bestowed on you. Surely, your Lord is Swift in retribution and certainly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." 6-165 (Translation: Dr Khan Dr Al-Hilali) Also examine 2-47 and 122.

Dr. Meaney and his colleagues have given their findings: "Among mammals, natural selection may have shaped offspring to respond to subtle variations in parental behavior as a forecast of the environmental conditions they will ultimately face once they become independent of the parent."

Dr. Robinson has proposed the term sociogenomics for the idea of understanding social life in terms of the genes and signaling molecules that mediate them. A question of great interest would be how far genetic shaping of behavior exists in people. Larry J. Young of Emory University, who studies social behavior of voles, said that, in people, activities like suckling of babies, maternal behavior and sexual drives are likely to be shaped by genes.

"The genes provide us the background of our general drives, and variations in these genes may explain various personality traits in humans, but ultimately our behavior is very much influenced by environmental factors," he said. (Nicholas Wade, A Gene for Romance, New York Times, July 19, 2005, The News, July 20, 2005)

In Islam, the very purpose of the Diin is to create conducive environment for development of individual personality traits and societal structures in harmony with natural human frame called human genome (95-4 to 6), in order to put its enormous potential to test in the megaverse 67-2 to 4). It many may be clarified here that hmangenome is not all and everything of human personality. Ruuh (Spirit) is a separate and important ingredient. Human genome might lead closer to understanding Nafs operating under the Decree of Allah (Amr i.e. Ruuh) inspired into it.

"They ask you concerning the Spirit, Say: 'The Spirit is of the Command of my Lord, Of Knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you" 17-85.

Some scholars have translated Nafs as Soul, Body, Mind, Person, Self, etc. The word Nafs is used to denote the reflective meaning. Self however conveys fuller meaning more closely. It has been discussed in some what detail in 'The Gateway to the Quran' by Shahzado Shaikh. It is certainly in the realm of his genome where test of the believer lies in exercising self-control and in balacing different impulses, instincts, etc., generated inherently, internally or by external stimuli.

"He (Allah) Who created death and life, that He may try which of you is best in deed. And He is the High Exalted in Might Oft-Forgiving." 67-2

Also 18-7, 6-165, and 11-7.

Scientists are trying to understand how mental abilities are controlled by our genes. In California, a technique has been developed to permanently rewrite any gene in human body. But campaigners have warned that gene editing technology, could be abused to alter physical characteristics of children after birth. Edward Lanphier, President, Sangamo Biosciences, said: "We can target any gene we want, go into human cells and correct mistakes. These results highlight the potential for gene correction therapy for human monogenic disorders, those diseases caused by mutation of a single gene." (David Adam, 'Editing technique to rewrite genes', Dawn 5.4.2005)

"All that they do is noted in Records." (52) And every matter, small and big, is written down." (53) 54- 52 to 53

Also see 57-22, 78-29, 53-43, 9-51, 58-22, and 3-39 to 45.

This amply shows that human behaviour is the function of the written Word of Allah. Over 98% of our genes are identical to that of a chimp and close to that of a mouse. This very small variation makes the whole world of difference! In this connection see verses 5-60, 2-65, 4-47 and 56-61.

The best bargain for the believer is in following the manual (way of life: Diin) written by the Maker (Creator-Patentor) for the patentee, that he:
i. submits his own self and his will, completely, to the unified law, known in religion as obedience to the Will (Law) of God.
ii. submits to Him, in all states of hope and fear,
iii. seeks guidance from Him Alone,
Thus, Allah, He is the Vital Principle of the megaverse-all creation. Whatever a man can think to be of worth or value; its source is with God: 10-56, 30-11, 36-22, 41-21

The planet on which man lives is called al-ardh (the earth), which refers to its physical features. Human habitation, culture and civilization cultivate and harness physical properties of the world and differentiate animate from inanimate and humanity from animality. Therefore, the earth is not only 'earthen' but a human habitat of meaning and significance.


In the Quran, the earth (al-ardh) is further distinguished from human life on earth (al-hayaat al-duniyaa). The former refers to the planet, its environment, plants, trees, animals, water, all its resources, etc., while al-hayaat al-duniyaa refers to the human life and its interaction with it. This, latter, is a powerful symbol, which literally means the 'immediate life' (life of this world) of man, sometime, briefly referred as 'ad-duniyaa' also. This conjures a multitude of meanings in the Islamic conception of man's life on earth. Usually in the negative sense, ad-duniyaa stands in contrast to al-aakhirah, meaning 'the other life' or 'deferred life.' Ad-duniyaa and Al-aakhirah are binary opposites in Islam. Ad-duniyaa represents a value; close at hand, convenient and tempting. It is, however, in terms of development and elevation of 'self', that its mastery must be sought by human beings for the deferred dividends of al-aakhirah, meaning 'the other life' or 'deferred life.' (See Abdulkader Tayob, Islam, A Short Introduction, pp.51-52)

Reason and Beauty Signify Unity

Paul Davies explains: "It is argued that the world is both rational and intelligible - `the principle of sufficient reason' i.e., everything in the world is, as it is, for some reason. We believe that there must be some reason why it is like that. Entire scientific enterprise is built upon the assumed rationality of nature. Theologians also advocate the same principle. In confronting the deep issues of existence, we have to consider the possibility of two distinct classes of things: In the first class are facts about the physical universe, such as the planets in the solar system.. Because an explanation for the features of the solar system depends on something other than itself, these features are said to be `contingent'. Something is contingent if it could have been otherwise, so that the reason why it is the way it is, depends upon something else; something beyond itself. The second class refers to fact or object or event that is not contingent. Such a thing is called `necessary'. Something is necessary if it is what it is quite independently of anything else. A necessary thing contains the reason for itself within itself. And it would be completely unchanged if everything else were different. Furthermore, if something is necessarily what it is, then it must always be and must always have been what it is: it cannot change. A necessary thing makes no reference to time.

"It is not possible to find `necessary' things in nature. All the objects and events depend in some or the other way on the rest of the world. Since the state of the world continually changes with time, all physical things that partake of that change must be contingent. If we examine the definition of `time' and include it in the `universe as a whole' - none is necessary independently or collectively: What about the laws of physics? Are they necessary or contingent? The individual forces turn out to be contingent on other forces. But is it possible that there exists a super force or even a completely unifying super law that is necessary? Many physicists think so. They maintain that it is gratuitous to seek for further explanation in metaphysics. These scientists look forward to a time when all the laws of physics will be combined into a single mathematical scheme."

"Pope John Paul II was deeply impressed by the spectacular progress made in linking the various elementary particles of matter and the four fundamental forces of nature, and recently saw it fit to address a scientific conference on the wide implications: "Physicists possess a detailed, though incomplete and provisional knowledge, of elementary particles and of the fundamental forces through which they interact at low and intermediate energies. They now have an acceptable theory unifying the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces, along with much less adequate but still promising grand unified field theories which attempt to incorporate the strong nuclear interaction as well. Further in the line of this same development, there are already several detailed suggestions for the final stage, super unification, that is, the unification of all four fundamental forces, including gravity. Is it not important for us to note that in a world of such detailed specialization, as contemporary physics, there exists this drive towards convergence? "

"Many scientists think that the `Theory of Everything' is feasible and we may almost have such a one in the Superstring Theory', as a serious attempt to amalgamate all the fundamental forces and particles of physics, as well as the structure of, into a single, all embracing mathematical scheme- space and time. The very concept of existence of One Super force or One Unified Law, and the present research for formulating a Unification Theory is the recognition of monotheism - i.e., One God Who is Creator and Sustainer Himself Alone.

"It is not only mathematics, physics or order in the universe, as Paul Davies argues, but 'the laws distinguish themselves in other, more subtle ways, such as by their aesthetic value. It is widely believed among scientists that beauty is a reliable guide to Truth, and many advances in theoretical physics have been made by the theorists demanding mathematical elegance of a new theory." (The Gateway to the Quran,) Also See 67-5

Universal Tauhiid (Oneness) is manifest in unity of mankind, unison in all universes (worlds, creations) forming one megaverse, all systems, harmonized, emerging from one origin (Singularity), and obeying one unified law on mono-basis of all existence and life. Proclamation of and professing Tauhiid simply declares reaffirmation of faith in the mono-basis of all manifestations. That is why, the Quran asserts that even polytheists are themselves evident example who obey one unified law in their existence and life. They bear witness against themselves: 100-6 & 7, 7-37, 6-130.

Besides the Unity, the Infinite has remained a favourite topic for debate among theologians, mystics, poets, scientists, philosophers, etc. Cantor propounded this concept as "to hold infinity in the palm of one's hand and eternity in an hour".