NATURE AND LIFE IN THE KORAN

No year has more rain than others

Allah stated in Glorious Koran (meaning), “And there is not a thing but its (sources and) treasures (inexhaustible) are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures.” (Sura Al-Hijr, ayah 21).

Commentators of the Glorious Koran say, “There is no more rain in one year or less than other years. But some people get rain while others are deprived.” This interpretation was the opinion of our scholars more than seven centuries ago at a time when Europe was rich in myths and superstition.

Our scholars have understood the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), informing us that the amount of rainfall every year is fixed and does not change. This is what the scientists in the twentieth century have also discovered. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “There is no specific year that has more rainfall than another, but rather Almighty Allah distributes it [i.e., the rainfall].” (Narrated by Al-Hakim). Research has proven that average rainfall is fixed on annual basis.

Sun, clouds and rains

Almighty Allah has told us in the Koran about sun and its role in the formation of rain and that was in a time when no one knew anything about this scientific fact. Thus the Almighty says (meaning), “And have made (therein) a shinning lamp (sun). And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water.” (Sura An-Naba’, ayat 13-14).

In this verse Allah has mentioned the sun with its shining power and He followed by mentioning clouds and rains with a clear link between sun, clouds and rains. Who told our illiterate prophet about this link?

Indeed, Almighty Allah is the doer Who says about Himself (meaning), “The Lord of the heavens and the earth,and whatsoever is in between them, the Most Beneficent.” (Sura An-Naba’, ayah 37).

Mountains of Clouds

The above picture which was taken by scientists represents a several km-height cloud several kilometres in height while the lower picture is a mountain that is of the samr height. It might be surprising to realise that the Holy Koran talks about mountains of clouds. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Koran (meaning), “Do you see not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together and then makes them into a pile? – then you will see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountainous masses (of clouds) wherein there is hail. There He strikes whom He pleases and He turns deflects it from whom He pleases” the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight.” (Sura Nur, ayah 43).

The Holy Koran talked about mountains of clouds fourteen centuries before scientists took photos of them, a proof of the inimitability of the Holy Koran.

The aurora: a scenic masterpiece

When solar winds that stream from the sun hit the Earth, the magnetic poles surrounding our planet resist these rays, forcing them to react and veer away. This is how Almighty Allah protects us from the sun’s fatal solar winds. As a result of this reaction, beautiful phenomena known as auroras takes place. These are the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Polar Lights) which surrounds the north magnetic pole, and Aurora Australis (The Southern Polar Lights) which surrounds the south magnetic pole. Scientists explain that if it were not for these beautiful polar lights, every living creature on Earth would be burnt!

That being said in the Holy Koran. Almighty Allah actually vows by the auroras, emphasising their importance (meaning), “So I swear by the afterglow of sunset.” (Sura Al-Inshiqaq, ayah16). This makes us wonder: Is this not a profound example of the Koran’s miraculous nature? If a phenomenon like the auroras is something we take for granted even today, how could any human being 14 centuries ago, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) have acknowledged and appreciated its significance?

The storage of water inside the Earth

Scientists have explained that the amount of sweet water stored beneath the surface of the Earth is far greater than the amount of water we see in lakes, rivers and seas. Although this is a relatively recent discovery of scientists, it is a fact that had already been acknowledged in the Koran (meaning), “And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though you are not the guardians of its stores.” (Sura Al-Hijr, ayah 22). Indeed, it has been proven that winds are one of the factors that ‘provoke’ the existence of clouds, and that rain water, despite a complicated process, manages to be stored in the depths of the Earth!

Strong wind lifts people off the ground

This photo is of a man who was lifted by strong wind that reached 160 km/h on the British shore. Scientists say that strong winds up to 300 km/h can destroy houses, trees and even humans.

Almighty Allah told us about the people of “Ad” who faced a destructive torment by saying (meaning): “Verily, We sent against them a furious wind of harsh voice on a day of evil omen and continuous calamity. Plucking out men as if they were the uprooted stems of date-palms.” (Sura Al-Qamar, ayat 19-20).

Also in another verse He the Almighty says (meaning), “And as for the ‘Ad, they were destroyed by a furious violent wind. Which Allah imposed on them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so that you could see men lying overthrown (destroyed), as if they were hollow trunks of date-palms!” (Sura Al-Haqqah, ayat 6-7).

NATURE AND LIFE IN THE KORAN