The Signs In The Heavens and The Earth
For Men of Understanding
By Harun Yahya
In the heavens and the earth there are certainly signs
for the believers. And in your creation and all the creatures He has scattered
about there are signs for people with certainty.
(Surat al-Jathiyah: 3-4)
Forward By : http://www.shariqkhan.page.tl
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The Ability to see the Signs of Allah
Say: "Praise be to Allah. He will show you His Signs and you will recognise
them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do." (Surat an-Naml: 93)
In many societies today, the Qur'an is assessed very differently from what is
the real purpose of its revelation. In the Islamic world, in general, very few
people know the contents of the Quran.
Some Muslim people often hang the Quran on the walls of their houses within
a decorative cover and elderly people read it from time to time. They assume
that the Quran protects those who read it from "misfortune and trouble".
According to this superstition, they consider the Quran a sort of amulet
against misfortunes.
The Quranic verses, however, inform us that the purpose of the Qurans
revelation is entirely different from what is mentioned above. For instance, in
the 52nd verse of Surah Ibrahim, Allah states: "This is a communication to be
transmitted to mankind so that they can be warned by it and so that they will
know that He is One God and so that people of intelligence will pay heed." In
many other verses, Allah emphasises that one of the most crucial purposes of
the Qurans revelation is to invite people to ponder.
In the Quran, Allah invites people to reject blindly accepting the beliefs
and values society imposes on them and to ponder by pushing aside all the
prejudices, taboos and constraints on their minds.
Man must think on how he came into being, what is the purpose of his life,
why he will die and what awaits him after death. He must question how he
himself and the whole universe came into existence and how they continue to
exist. While doing this, he must relieve himself of all constraints and
prejudices.
By thinking, while isolating his conscience from all social, ideological and
psychological obligations, the person should eventually perceive that the
entire universe, including himself, is created by a superior power. Even when
he examines his own body or any other thing in nature, he will see an
impressive harmony, plan and wisdom at work within its design.
At this point again, the Qur'an guides man. In the Quran, Allah guides us as
to what we should reflect on and investigate. With the methods of reflection
given in the Qur'an, he who has faith in Allah will better perceive Allahs
perfection, eternal wisdom, knowledge and power in His creation. When a
believing person starts to think in the way shown in the Quran, he soon
realises that the whole universe is a sign of Allahs power and art, and that,
"nature is a work of art, not the artist itself". Every work of art exhibits
the exceptional skills of the one who has made it and conveys his messages.
In the Quran, people are summoned to contemplate numerous events and objects
that clearly testify to the existence and uniqueness of Allah and His
attributes. In the Quran, all these beings that bear witness are designated as
"signs", meaning "tested evidence, absolute knowledge and expression of truth".
Therefore, the signs of Allah comprise all the beings in the universe that
disclose and communicate the being and attributes of Allah. Those who can
observe and remember will see that the entire universe is only composed of the
signs of Allah.
This, indeed, is the responsibility of mankind; to be able to see the signs
of Allah... Thus, such a person will come to know the Creator Who created him
and all other things, draw closer to Him, discover the meaning of his existence
and his life and so prosper.
This book can never adequately show the innumerable signs of Allah, nor can
any other work. Each thing, the breaths a human takes, political and social
developments; the cosmic harmony in the universe, the atom, which is one of the
smallest pieces of matter, is each a sign of Allah and they all operate under
His control and knowledge, abiding by His laws. Recognising and knowing the
signs of Allah calls for personal effort. Everyone will recognise and know the
signs of Allah in accordance with his own wisdom and conscience.
Undoubtedly, some guidelines may also help. As the first step, one can
investigate certain points stressed in the Qur'an in order to acquire the
mentality that perceives the whole universe as an articulation of the things
Allah created.
This book is written to draw attention to some of the subjects that we are
advised to ponder in the Quran. Allahs signs in nature are emphasised in
Surat an-Nahl:
It is He Who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it
come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow
for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. . There is
certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. He has made the night and the
day subservient to you, and the sun, the moon and the stars, all subject to His
command. There are certainly signs in that for people who use their intellect.
And also the things of varying colours He has created for you in the earth.
There is certainly a sign in that for people who pay heed. It is He Who made
the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring
out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so
that you can seek His bounty, and so that perhaps you may show thanks. He cast
firmly embedded mountains on the earth so it would not move under you, and
rivers and pathways so that perhaps you might be guided,
and landmarks. And they are guided by the stars. Is He Who creates like him
who does not create? So will you not pay heed?
(Surat an-Nahl: 10-17)
In the Qur'an, Allah invites men of understanding to think about the issues
which other people overlook, or just dismiss using such barren terms as
"evolution", "coincidence", or "a miracle of nature".
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night
and day, there are Signs for people of intelligence: those who remember Allah
standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the
heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, You did not create this for nothing. Glory be
to You! So guard us from the punishment of the Fire." (Surah Ali-Imran:
190-191)
As we see in these verses, people of understanding see the signs of Allah and
try to comprehend His eternal knowledge, power and art by remembering and
reflecting on them, for Allahs knowledge is limitless, and His creation
flawless.
For men of understanding, everything around them is a sign of this creation.
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{ Views expressed by writer are their own property }
Muhammed Shariq Khan
Lucknow, India
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