By Dr. Salama Abdel-Hady

Translation Revised by  Magdy Abd Al-Shafy

(Original source: http://www.55a.net/firas/english/?page=show_det&id=145&select_page=6 )

(Edited by Defending-Islam.com Staff)

Have we been created by a Creator? Has this Creator addressed us through a scientific and logical approach that may suit our age of knowledge? The answer is given through 17 miraculous verses mentioned successively in Surat Al-Waqiah in the Qur’an.

Qur’an is the word of the God “Allah”, that was revealed to His last prophet “Muhammed”, in the light of history to guide humanity at the time of its maturity. Muhammed (Salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam) is considered by the Muslims as a man who received from the Creator a message or a religion called “Islam.” This Qur’an guides man to know Allah and leads them to have a successful life and to perform ideally their role on the earth. The meaning of the word “Islam” is “the complete obedience and submissiveness to God”.  Muslims know Allah through His Mercy and Wisdom, but they believe that He is beyond the abilities of their imagination or vision.

The Qur’an can be viewed from a scientific point of view as a sustaining proof that assures the truth of Muhammed (Salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam)’s message, since its wording is different from the traditional wording of people. Any one, who reads or understands the Qur’an, will find that its source cannot be a man who was born in a Bedouin culture more than fourteen centuries ago. But it is surely revealed from the Creator of man and the universe, Who has unlimited and infinite science and knowledge regarding all His creations. We can find that our modern sciences concerning our universe and ourselves help us to have a more perfect and deeper understanding of the verses of the Qur’an.

We can see such a vision in the following verses which are found in a Surah of the Qur’an with the title “Al-Waqiah” (the day of resurrection). Allah leads us by these verses through a series of logical questions to assure a certain fact: “We are created and He is our Creator”.  So, the first verse states the following question:

“We (Allah) have created you, so why you don’t believe that.”  (56: 57) (The verse number 57 from Surat Al-Waqiah ^[i]

Now, let us read the answer of this question in the next verses from Surat Al-Waqiah (verses 57 –75) ^[ii]

God says in the Holy Qur’an, the meaning of which is:

“Have you (O’ man) ever seen (or observe and investigate) the semen that you emit (emitted during a man and a woman intercourses), `is it you who create it, or are we the Creator? We have ordained death to you and none of you shall escape it, and We are not to be prevented (or are able) to replacing you with the same kind (or transfigure you), or recreate you in any other form that you haven’t ever known. And indeed, you know the initial form of creation (i.e. the creation of Adam).

Have you ever seen (or investigate) the seeds (the source of your food) that you are sowing in the ground and then you feed upon them), is it you whomaster its growth and cultivation (or the characteristics of each plant), or are We the Master? Were it our Will, We could crumble such cultivation to chaff and you would be regretful (or left in wonderment). Then you would say, “We have incurred a loss. Nay. But we are deprived.”Have you ever seen the water you drink (or looked to its sources and cycles)? Is it you who mastered it to be dropped to you from Al –Mozn (from clouds)? Or We are the Master? If it is Our Will, We could leave it salty (in its original form as sea water).Then why aren’t you thanking? 

Have you ever seen (or investigate) the fuel (or fire as a source of energy) that is hidden (is hidden during its combustion in your bodies), is it you who constructed its tree (as the factory which produce the source of such fire)?  We are Who make it in this way to let you enjoying your strength (through motion and doing effort) and to remind you (with God’s Will). Then (as a conclusion for that proofs), Glorify with praises the Name of Your Lord, The Most Great.”  (56: 58-74).                                                                  

As the reader may notice the answer in the first verse is given by four specific questions that motivate our abilities to ponder and have a deep look. All of them start with the four words: “Have you ever seen” (or looked at).

Of course, in this century, we have a higher ability to look, search, understand and explain theses verses and discuss their logic through deep scientific procedures. So, I will try to explain these verses from my point of view as an engineer. Of course my explanation or understanding will be limited to my scope of thinking. Such understanding is different from the explanation of a man who has deeper knowledge than me. However, I hope the reader will appreciate my effort or approach to explain my limited understanding.^[iii]

Question 1a: Concerning the origin of our creation

God says in this regard in the Holy Qur’an, the meaning of which is:

“Have you ever seen the semen that you emit?"

The scientific comment: The Creator leads us in this verse or question to ponder about the starting cell in our formation or creation. By the modern techniques we see the magnificent structure of such cells and what is called the marvelous genetic map. After having the electronic microscopes that can magnify the size of such semen many million times, we can really see it and answer this question scientifically. The man emits semen and the woman produces ovum^[iv], each providing a half of a human cell. By integrating these two halves into one cell in the womb of the woman, it offers an origin for the formation of a complete human creature. Seeing this semen, we find it is a miraculous unit that is responsible for keeping our race; it inherits the features of each race and the peculiarities of the father and the mother into a new birth.  Such a completed cell starts to be divided pair by pair and forms the textures and bones of a new creature. We can see such formation and divisions by our magnifying equipment in ordered processes. It is evidence that it is surely designed, created, and guided by the Great Creator who arranges for it such formation and mechanisms of subdivision to keep each race. The mechanism of subdivision and the way of unifying the semen of the male and female is fixed in all the human beings and also in all races in a unique manner since He is the same Creator for all these races. The scientists just discovered the discipline of subdivision and the mechanisms of forming different organs, but they do not know how these cells keep such unique behavior in all creatures. They also do not yet know many secrets of the genetic map in such cells and how life is gifted to such creatures. These means as we approach the reality and see the semen we are faced by more ambiguous or un-answered questions. But the answer is in the first verse we have: “We have created you, so why you don’t believe”.

The question asked by God to look at this semen is followed by another astonishing question in the following verse:

Question 1b: Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?

Can we claim that we create this semen that is responsible for forming the new birth by features inherited from the mother and father, or is it created by itself? Can such a genetic map that is seen in this semen be created by just chance? Or do we find any one who can claim that he created it? If God sent a book, the Qur’an, telling us “We (Allah) are the creator” , why not accept that the One who really revealed these words is the true Creator, since there is no way to deny that fact.  The verse that follows expresses our limited abilities regarding death. Of course, when we die or lose our life, no one can return it back to our bodies. As it is told in the following verses, the Creator is He Who decides for each person the specific time of death and the leaving of his soul, as no-one can extend his life.

Now we came to the second question:

Question 2a: Concerning the source of our food

Have you ever seen (look into and investigate) the seeds (the source of your food) that you sow in the ground?

Scientific comment: The Creator in this question directs our abilities of observation to look into our role in cultivation of plants which is limited to throwing the seeds. Such plants prepare for us the food necessary for our surviving. He creates the plants as autonomous creatures that grow by the falling of rain, and we are non-autonomous creatures that have such plants to live. These seeds prepare for us the food that suits our creation.

The question asked by God is to look at these seeds. And then this question is followed by another scientific question in the next verse:

Question 2b: Who masters the growth and cultivation?

God says in the Holy Qur’an, the meaning of which is:

“Is it you who master its growth and cultivation (or the processes done by each seed), or are We the Master?”

As we can understand, this verse asks us “Who teaches or guides such plants their role in preparation of our food”? Our role is just to throw the seeds and wait. But the seed of each plant after its sowing starts to perform specific complicated tasks as if it is well trained to perform it. Looking at the roots of these plants, such roots select and absorb specified salts from the soil. Then the leaves of these plants start to absorb carbon dioxide from the air and receive the sun’s rays to perform other complicated processes. Who ordered this seeds and taught them to do these complicated processes and finally to offer us vegetables or fruits that feed us? Have we any role in such tasks?

Can any one claim that he taught these seeds how to perform such tasks? Or, can any one or any group of scientists create such seeds and plan for them to do these tasks? The answer is NO. So, we should confess: Oh God! You are the Master.

The Creator Who creates such seeds and defines such roles for it has sent His messengers. Those messengers are normal men who received a revelation to tell us that such arrangements are His doing. Why not to believe such statements and to assure his sayings and to announce: “We believe that we are created. You are our Creator Who arranges for us such suitable feeding by such obeying plants in this ordered mechanism”.

In the verses that follow, God shows that as He is able to offer us our food by these obeying plants, He is also able to destroy such plants if it is His Will. Of course we see it is actually done through diseases, by shortage of water or by storm or flood sent by Him. And we can do nothing if it is damaged. So, why do we deny the true Creator Who can really create and who can cause damage?

Now we come to the third question:

Question (3a): Concerning the water that we drink

God says in the Holy Qur’an, the meaning of which is:

"Have you ever seen the water you drink?”

Scientific comment: In the third question, the Creator directs us to think over the fresh water that we drink. The process of extracting such fresh water from the salty water of the seas and oceans to reach us is a complicated process. God keeps these unlimited stores of salty water in the oceans and the seas. These salts in the water protect the water from being spoilt due to action of bacteria and the limited motion of water in these oceans or seas. The Creator designed also a limited amount of sunrays to warm water on the surface of this oceans or seas and He keeps a limited movement of wind to form from them the clouds of fresh water-vapors.  These clouds are raised up to a height at which its density is balanced through an equal density of the air at high elevations. These clouds start to group and move by the influence of directed winds to selected regions, determined by God. Such clouds at certain regions lose their balance and are dropped, causing the formation of rivers which supply us with the water necessary for life. So, the Creator guides us in the third question to look and think how this water is created in a way available to us. To investigate these procedures and arrangements that led to have the fresh water available in our rivers for drinking and surviving the danger of drought, we are ordered in this verse to look into the scientific cycle of water on the earth. Of course, by such a look or thinking over we can answer the main question: Are we created by a Creator, who designed for us such a managed cycle to get the fresh water, or not? Of course without such water we will not survive. It is the source of irrigating plants too. Let us look at the next verse which envelops this question by a magnificent scientific wording:

Question 3b: Is it you who mastered its dropping from Al –Mozn (or from clouds)? Or are We the Master?

The Arabic origin of the word Al-Mozn is balance or equilibrium. It is written here replacing the clouds to show that the clouds are a certain state or phase of the water that exists at such height and density in complete equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere. If this state of equilibrium is changed, the water is dropped from these clouds. In other words, when these clouds are pushed to certain environmental or atmospheric conditions, such equilibrium is lost and we get fresh water flowing in rivers. Now, can we find an answer for question (3b)? Who masters the formation of the sources of such water (the clouds), and Who masters its dropping into specific areas, in specific times and in specific drinkable conditions by changing its state of Mozn. Can any one claim that he does that? But the Creator of man announces that it is His Will in His Last revealed word, the Qur’an. So, why should we not announce the following “We believe that we are created and You, Who sent this Qur’an, are our Creator”.

In the verse that follows this question, the Creator states that as He is able to make the fresh water available to us, He is able too to stop all these processes that supply the fresh water. In this case, there will be available to us only the salty water in the seas and oceans. What can we do? Nothing.  So, We should keep thanking Allah for such sustenance and mercy, and then He will keep it for us.  These meanings are found in the following verses, ended by this order: Then why aren’t you thanking?

Let us read the next verse:

Question (4a): Concerning the source of our energy

“Have you ever seen (or investigate) the fire (or the combustion that evolves the energy) that is hidden?”

Scientific comment: The final question as can be read guides us to think over how our bodies can get the fuel that supplies it with the required energy to move. This fuel is prepared and produced in the trees. The green leaves store the energy from the sun in very complicated photo-electro-chemical processes that are carried out in thousands of reactions. We call such reactions “Photosynthesis Process”. During this process, the leaves of the plants or trees  store carbon dioxide from the air and absorb water from the soil ( through the roots) to form the carbohydrates in our food ( as in some fruits or vegetables ). When we eat the food, such carbohydrates are burnt in our bodies with unseen fire and the absorbed energy is released. So our bodies get the energy required for us to be capable of moving, enjoying our life, and doing the required activities. When we see or look at the mechanisms of energy absorption in the trees and of energy release in our bodies, we will find that both are identical but are done in opposite directions. So, they should have the same Creator. Now, Who arranged all these mechanisms, reactions and processes? Such a question is given in the verse that follows.

Question (4b ): Is it you who constructed the tree?

God says in the Holy Qur’an, he meaning of which is: 

“Is it you who constructed its tree (as the factory which produce the source of such fire or energy)?  We are Who make it in this way to let you enjoy your strength (through motion and doing effort) and to remind you (with God’s Will).”

Can any one claim that he designs and produces the green leaves of the plants or trees to perform such complicated tasks to absorb the solar energy? And then he designs our cells to be capable of restoring such energy by combustion in a hidden manner to enjoy the use of the strength of our muscles. The answer is NO. And we have no way other than to confess the stated fact written by Who designed, created and revealed this verse. So, if He tells us   that He is the Creator Who created us in this form and created for us these sources of energy to enjoy our life, we should believe in Him.

NOW, at the end of these four questions regarding four disciplined and planned creations. They are written in an ordered form: the origin of our formation, the source that offers our food, the source that offers us our drinking water, and the source that offers us the energy. Who is responsible for that? Can we claim that it is done and planned without a Great and Wise Creator? And can we claim that this verse that guides us to this answer in such a sequential manner is not revealed from Him, the Merciful and Great Creator? Or can we claim that a Bedouin, who was born in a desert more than 15 centuries ago, can direct such scientific questions in such a scientific sequence?

This conclusion is written at the end of these verses by this order:

Then why don't you thank?

Scientific conclusion: At the end of any scientific research, we should write the conclusion. So, the Creator in the next verse gives us the conclusion, which should be proclaimed by any man: “Our Sincere Thanks to Allah, The Truly Merciful God, Who surely created us and Who guides us by His Miraculous Qur’an”.

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[i] It is a chapter of the Qur’an with this title. This chapter has the number “56” in the Holy Qur’an, and has 96 verses (sentences). The translation of the word “Al-Waqiah” is “the events of the Day of Resurrection.” Generally we write beside each verse the number of the chapter followed by the number of the verse.

[ii] The words written are just an attempt of the translation of the Qur’an (as the Holy Qur’an is lexically and linguistically miraculous). However, the bracketed words are another trial to show the meaning or a deeper explanation of these words, since the words in Arabic are of broader destinations than the translated words.

[iii] Of course, the complete understanding of these verses is just known to Allah.

[iv] The semen is a fluid that carry spermatozoon which carry half of the chromosomes, while the female produces ovum that carry the other integrating half of chromosomes. If God wills that both halves meet, they form the first human cell.