| Manifestation
of `Unity' in Singularity:From the concepts
like the Big Bang and the continued expansion of the universe
(Megaverse), one can now conclude that there was only ‘One
Source’ that did originate all the universes-creations
and the ‘Same’ continues to sustain and develop
them. Naturally, then, all the Praise belongs to the Originator
of that source. He is Allah The Ever All Originator-Creator
of that source and the subsequent (the original Singularity
and subsequent universes-all creations emerging out of it
and expanding continuously.) Therefore He (Allah) is The Only
One Alone worthy of adoration and worship by all His creations.
The
Urge for Gratitude in Nature:Since man by
nature is in need of sustenance from his Sustainer all the
time, it is his natural urge and inner tendency to praise
his Lord-Sustainer with the hope to continue to receive more,
and more of His favours. Reflection into creation, development
and sustenance of universe ultimately leads to acceptance
of the Omnipotent Almighty Most High Exalted as the Intelligent-Inventor-Scientist.
This inspires all thankful praises for Him Alone.
“Those who bear Allah in mind,
standing, sitting and reclining,
and reflect on the creation of the heavens and
of the earth
(saying) `Our Lord – Master-Sustainer-
Cherisher (Allah),
You have not created all this in vain”.
(3-191)
With praise for the Beauty and the Benevolence
in Allah’s creations, thanks come from heart.
Upgraded
Faculties and Functional Support to Man:Allah
has shown His Creations to man, not only as an on-looker of
the spectacle or as a by- stander to episodes and events,
but as inter-active character having command over his own
and other components comprising cosmos, with a degree of freedom
and will. It is not the Zodiac that shapes his destiny but
he has faculties and resources at his command to impact the
drama within and outside constellations and zones, in heavens.
All requisite faculties have been upgraded to such a higher
level, that they truly make man supreme among all earlier
developed and upgraded versions of biotechnology. All these
have been inbuilt into one human genome with all instincts,
intuition, intelligence, rationale and all that he befittingly
required. Beside, all required convenience and excellence
in the hardware, all software, operational instructions, manuals
and materials have been inherently placed on the DNA. Enjoyment
and ecstasy, subtleties of feelings and fervour have all been
programmed as the most refined and upgraded versions above
those of all creatures. Can one imagine a world without colours,
life without taste and relations without feelings and love?
Would existence and life then be sustainable, or even imaginable?
Allah is the Only One Alone Providence, the Ever
All Lord-Master-Sustainer, Cherisher for all these varieties
and diversity in creations from infinitesimally small to infinitely
big, and from wavicle (sub-particle) to whole Megaverse (all
universes). He has harmonized all in peace for a purpose.
Everything is happening scientifically as already programmed
intelligently. Man has been `moulded’ in a `frame’
fully equipped with internal faculties and external resources
to meet all challenges and diverse situations.
The Quran tells us that everything is written
in the Book. Scientists now declare that a geneticist can
tell us from the DNA, in a strand even of hair, at birth whether
a child will contract which disease and when, e.g. Huntington's
disease at his middle age! Careful study of development of
man and that of material resources at his command, shows that
the two have remained complementary in time frame of nature.
It has further been supported by Revelation and intellectual
development with progress and need of time. External resources
and sustenance have also accordingly kept pace with proliferating
population defeating Malthusian and other projections of doom.
Simultaneously awareness to manage life and livelihood, develop
and progress in time, in a rational manner, requisite resources
and know-how have also been made increasingly available.
Misconcepts
about Scientific Fact
Cosmogony and Cosmology:The
Pentateuch begins with the account of the creation of the
world by God. There are also references in this regard in
other Biblical books. Rabbinical works also make such references.
The main theme is that God created the world `ex nihilo' (from
nothing). Most of the medieval theologians support this idea.
The Greek philosophy however advocated pre-existing matter.
In both the cases there are, however, some problems.
(i) Since the original Word of
Revelation was not preserved; when the `people of the Book’
dealt with the substance of the subject or went into detail,
they erred; also because of the limited range of information
and data available at that time.
(ii) Greek philosophy was mainly
based on conjecture and hypothesis, which was not supported
by observation and experimentation; the theorem was not verified
and tested on scientific grounds.
(iii) Since some parts of the
Bible were not open to everybody, having been declared `apocrypha',
full facts were not available before those who ever made any
serious attempt at proper interpretation and study of the
Biblical statements.
(iv) A very serious division
rather acrimony to the extent of animosity was created between
`science' and `religion', to serious disadvantages and consequences
for getting any scientific guidance from the revealed facts.
This affected very badly all spheres of human development.
(v) Side by side with scientific
approach and philosophical interpretation of creation, there
were a number of medieval mystical teachings of a mysterious
nature, which created confusion rather than clearing way for
better understanding. Study of some myths would reveal severity
of all sorts of strange ideas, e.g.:
(a) According to Judaic concept
in `Kabalah', they see world as emanation of unlimited Godhead
or `Ein Sof' revealing Himself through 10 stages or `sefirot',
representing continuity between human and divine world.
(b) Amerindian Cosmology conceived
man's life as placed within a context of interlocking relationships
wherein divine, human, animal and vegetative forms influence
one another.
(c) Sumerians speculated that
major components of universe were heaven (a vaulted, hollow
space) and earth (a flat disc) which existed, immovably, in
a boundless sea from which universe had come into being. Invisible,
immortal gods guided and controlled this universe, according
to prescribed rules. Deities could also be negligent, ill,
wounded, and they could even die. They represented elements
of nature in human form and had human needs.
(d) Cosmic order was identified
with justice (dike). Cosmogenic myths took form of theogonics.
However, the original entity was `Chaos'. Then came `Gaia'
(earth), who had many children from son `Quranos' (Sky), including
`Titans'. One Titan, `Kronos', castrated and dethroned his
father and became world-ruler but was in turn dethroned by
his son; and so murders and wars went on.
(e) A survey of more than 300
major variations of North American Indian mythology, reveals
presence of seven primary symbolic types, of which one `earth
diver' may be mentioned. It attributes creation to an animal-like
figure who dives to the bottom of a primeval ocean to retrieve
mud or sand from which a somewhat fragile cosmos is shaped;
its completion is usually left to a culture hero or trickster.
These are only a very few examples - how science
suffered at the hands of myth and conjecture in religion!
This is one of the most unfortunate aspects of history of
human development! In contrast let us see, just as an example,
how the Quran invites to think, encourages to reflect and
appeals to reason.
“Do
they see nothing, in the governance of the heavens and the
earth and all that Allah has created? 7-185
Ignorance
and Imagination
Auspicia:"The
auspicia (omens) were the special of the Roman augurs, and were
(imagined to have been) sent by Jupiter, as the chief state-god.
The senior officials (magistrates) in charge, either in Rome
or on campaign, had the right to take the auspicia , to consult
the gods about the coming action; the augur was the expert adviser
or interpreter. The original auspicia were taken from the flight
of birds, interpreted in relation to the appointed templa (Roman
templas were rectangular areas either in the sky or on the earth,
so defined by the augurs, as to provide the basis for interpreting
signs either from lightening or from the flight of birds.).
There were other techniques too. The signs were held to be valid
only if actually observed by the magistrate.
"In early times all action, public or private,
was supposed to be accompanied by auspicia but by the late Republic
(100-31 BCE) constitutional change had separated command from
the old rituals and under the empire, although augurs continued
to be appointed until the 4th century CE, their importance was
lost". (Dictionary of Religions, John R. Hinnells)
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