| THE AYAT AND THE HADITH OF THE DAY |
The Real Owner of All Possessions
HARUN YAHYA
Most often, it is the fight for possessions that leads people to sorrow and pain. In fact, the entire life of the unbelievers rests upon the greed for "having property". They always struggle to have more, making this the real aim of their life.
However, this "rivalry in respect of wealth and children" (Surat al-Hadid, 57:20) is a total deception, since, the dominion of all possessions on earth is of Allah. People only fool themselves by thinking that they really own something, since they have neither created the things they possess, nor have they the power to keep them alive and ever-lasting. Nor can they avoid their own destruction. Furthermore, they have no status to "possess" anything, because they are "possessed" by another being. This Superior Being is "the King (or Ruler) of Mankind" (Surat an-Nas, 114:2) Who is Allah. The Qur'an informs us that the entire universe is possessed by Allah: "To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them , and all beneath the soil." (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:6). Another verse extends this to Allah, power to forgive or punish: "Do you not know that to Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punishes whom He pleases, and He forgives whom He pleases: and Allah has power over all things." (Surat al-Maeda, 5:40)
As a matter of fact, Allah has given all possessions to people as a temporary "trust" in this world. This trust will last for a certain period of time and when the day of judgement comes, everyone will be asked to account for his conduct.
In this day of judgement, each one will be asked about his intentions and purpose in using this "trust" given to him. Those who considered themselves owners rather than trustees, and revolted against the Prophets by saying, "Does your prayer command you that we leave off doing what we like with our property?" (Surah Hud, 11:87), deserve severe punishment. The Qur'an describes what will happen to them:
"And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is WellAcquainted with all that you do." (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:180)
As mentioned in the Qur'an, all the gifts given to man by Allah, by His Grace, is for him to spend with no "covetous withholding". So, instead of trying to own and preserve these possessions, one should expend them in the way Allah commands. This means that the believer will use the proper amount that is necessary for his maintenance and then spend "what is beyond his needs" (Surat al-Baqara, 2:219). If he does not act accordingly and tries to "keep" all his wealth, then this will mean that he sees himself as its owner. Yet, the punishment for this kind of behaviour is of a very serious nature. In the Qur'an this is explained thus:
"... And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty. On the Day, when it will (all) be heated in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs. (and it will be said unto them): 'This is the (treasure) which you buried for yourselves: taste you, then, the treasures you buried'" (Surat at-Tawba, 9:34-35)
There is "economy" in Islam, but no "piling up possessions". The believers do not trust in the material things they keep or accumulate for "the bad days", but only in Allah. So, Allah increases their wealth in return. Allah gives them more than they spend in His way, and increases their blessings. This is stated in a verse as follows:
"The parable of those who spend their property in the way of Allah is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears(with) a hundred grains in every ear. Allah multiplies for whom He pleases; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing." (Surat al-Baqara, 2:261)
On the contrary, the situation of the one who does not spend in the way of Allah is that of one "who piles up wealth and keeps on counting it, thinking that his wealth would make him last for ever. By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into the crushing Fire. And what will make you know what the crushing Fire is? It is the Fire of Allah kindled (to a blaze)." (Surat al-Humaza, 104:2-6)
| WONDERS OF CREATION FOR THE 24th DAY |
PEARLS:DAZZLING JEWELS OF THE SEA
HARUN YAHYA
On Earth, wherever one turns his eyes and looks, one meets a magnificent creation, a perfect design with amazing features. The examples we give throughout this book are only a few small details of this magnificence. Allah has created many plant and animal species on Earth whose appearances are splendid. He has brought everything into existence in a way that man finds pleasure in. Along with these, many ornaments have been created on Earth by Allah and have been given into the service of men. The pearl, which is one of these ornaments, has very interesting features besides its outstanding beauty.
The developmental phases of the pearl are amazing. The pearl is generally produced by the "pearl oyster," of which many kinds exist. The shells of oysters are quite hard. The composition of their outer shells, which are very difficult to open, is calcium carbonate-based and deters many of their enemies. The calcium carbonate also plays an important role in the oyster's formation of pearls.
The oyster is irritated when sand, a pebble or harmful parasitic organisms enter inside of it. In such situations, it isolates the uninvited guest, as a method of protection, and begins to cover it with nacre. This covering process is the first phase of the formation of the pearl. The foreign particles entering the oyster serve as a nucleus for the formation of the pearls. Through the years, the surface of this nuclear substance will be covered with calcium carbonate layers forming one on the top of the other.
How is the nacre inside the oyster made? There are two main ingredients that form the nacre among the layers of the oyster's inner tissues. In one layer is a mineral called "aragonite," the content of which is calcium carbonate; in another layer is an adhesive substance "conchiolin," which holds the aragonite together in the pearl. Since aragonite is a semi-transparent substance, it gives the pearl a shiny look. It is surely thought provoking that these two substances are produced by the oyster (a composition of shell and flesh that doesn't even have a brain) and then they come together and form such a beautiful object as a pearl by covering a mere dust particle. The pearl that an oyster produces for the purpose of protection is created as an aesthetic ornament for man.
Allah draws attention to the pearl with the verse in the Qur'an "From out of them come glistening pearls and coral." (Surat ar-Rahman: 22) Furthermore, the pearl is also mentioned in the Qur'an as one of the ornaments of Paradise.
| COLLAPSE OF THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION DAY BY DAY |
WHY IS METAMORPHOSIS NOT EVIDENCE OF EVOLUTION?
HARUN YAHYA
Some creatures undergo physical changes to allow them to survive and adapt to different natural conditions at different times. This process is known as metamorphosis. People with insufficient knowledge of biology and evolutionist claims also sometimes try to portray the process as evidence for the theory of evolution. Those sources which cite metamorphosis as "an example of evolution" are superficial, narrow-based works of propaganda which seek to mislead those who do not possess sufficient information on the subject, juvenile evolutionists, or a few ignorant Darwinist biology teachers. Scientists who are considered experts on evolution, and who thus know more about the dilemmas and contradictions inherent in the theory, hesitate to even refer to this ridiculous claim. That is because they know how senseless it is…
   
Some creatures that undergo metamorphosis: the frog, the butterfly, the bee, the mosquito. |
Butterflies, flies, and bees are some of the best-known creatures that undergo metamorphosis. Frogs, which start life in water and then live on land, are another example. This has nothing to do with evolution, because the theory tries to account for the differentiation between living things in terms of chance mutations. Metamorphosis, however, bears no similarity at all to that claim, being a pre-planned process which has nothing to do with mutation or chance. It is not chance that brings metamorphosis about, but genetic data which are built-in in the creature from the moment it is born. The frog, for example, possesses the genetic information to allow it to live on land while it is still living underwater. Even while still a larva, the mosquito possesses the genetic information regarding its pupa and adult states. The same thing applies to all creatures that undergo metamorphosis.
People who try to portray metamorphosis as "evidence of evolution" know nothing about biology and the theory of evolution. Metamorphosis is a "planned change" encoded inside genetic information, and bears no similarity to evolution, which means "coincidental change." Metamorphosis is an example of "irreducible complexity," and is evidence that disproves evolution. |
Recent scientific research into metamorphosis has shown that it is a complex process controlled by different genes. As regards the metamorphosis of the frog, for instance, the relevant processes in the tail alone are controlled by more than a dozen genes. This means that this process comes about thanks to several components working together. This is a biological process that bears the feature of "irreducible complexity," which shows that metamorphosis is proof of creation.
"Irreducible complexity" is a concept that has been given its place in the scientific literature by Professor Michael Behe, a biochemist who is known for his research proving the invalidity of the theory of evolution. What it means is that complex organs and systems function by the working together of all the component parts that make them up, and that if even the smallest part ceases to function, so will the whole organ or system. It is impossible for such complex structures to have emerged by chance, with tiny changes over time, as the theory of evolution maintains. That is what happens in metamorphosis. The process of metamorphosis happens through exceedingly sensitive balances and timings in hormones which are in turn affected by different genes. The creature will pay for even the tiniest error with its life. It is impossible to believe that such a complex process could have come about by chance and by stages. Since even a tiny error will cost the animal its life, it is impossible to speak in terms of a "trial and error mechanism," or natural selection, as evolutionists maintain. No creature can hang around for millions of years waiting for its missing components to come about by chance.
Bearing this fact in mind, it is also apparent that the subject constitutes no evidence at all for evolution, as some people who are ill-informed about metamorphosis assume it to do. On the contrary, when the complexity of the process and the systems that control it are taken into consideration, animals which undergo metamorphosis can be seen to be clear evidence for creation.
LET US JOIN FORCES
Although the divine religions contain different rules in the light of the climate and conditions in which they were revealed, they essentially offer the same model of belief and morality. They have all offered the same fundamental truths regarding such matters as the existence, oneness and attributes of God, how He should be served, the kind of behaviour He finds pleasing, how one should live and behave, the concepts of good and bad, right and wrong, how people should order their lives in this world, and how one can obtain eternal life .
The divine books that were revealed before the Qur'an contain sections that agree with it. The names of these books appear in the Qur'an, and they also encourage peace and love. In this section we shall consider such sections of the Old and New Testaments, with their statements in favour of love, peace and tolerance. We will also look at those commands in which terror and oppression are prohibited, and describe how Jews and Christians from all over the world must take action in the light of these commands to oppose terrorism.
Jul 13, 2005
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