Political Crossfire Forums

[Saracen]

From Glorfindel's excellent post on Iron and its mention in the Koran, I have come up with this post to show some notable scientific facts that were mentioned in the Holy Koran.

1- In the Koran, God speaks about the stages of man's embryonic development:

"We created man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech-like suspended thing, blood clot, embryo), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah(resembles a chewed substance)..."
Koran (23:12-14)

This and many other verses describe how the human zygote (the fertilized egg and sperm) form to become an embro. "Alaqah" here speaks of a suspended "thing"; that is, it talks about the first stage of human embryonic development, where structures such as the forebrain, the heart and amnion form. It is "leech-like" in that it absorbs some of the nutrients from the mother's blood. The embryo is also likened to a "blood clot", due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood in the human embryo. The other stage mentioned here, the "mudghah", is actually the stage where the forebrain grows, a mandibular (jaw-like) arch forms, an otic (ear) pit forms, a brachial (lung) arch develops and a spain/tail grows from the back of the embryo. It is similar to a chewed substance in that if you take a piece of gum and spit it out, you will notice how crumpled it is from the teeth marks. This can be said about the external appearance of the embryo at this stage.

How could the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) know all this about fourteen hundreed years ago when there were no microscopes or even any sort of experiments about fetal development at that time? Prophet Muhammad himself was illiterate. His main source of knowledge came from God's words, which became the Koran. This is also proof that Muhammad (PBUH) was a Messenger of God: no other source could have given him such information.

2-In the Koran, God says this about mountains:

"Have We not made the Earth as a bed, and the mountains as pegs?"
Koran (78:6-7)

Modern Earth sciences proved that mountains have deep "roots" under the surface of the ground, and that these roots can reach several times the elevations of these mountains above the grounds (sorta like an iceberg that has most of it submerged underwater). So the mountain is a sort of "peg", and the crust/Earth is a "bed" for the mountains. Sir George Airy, Astronomer Royal, formulated the Peg Theory of Mountains in 1865.

Another verse of the Koran states the role of mountains as stabilizers of the earth's crust. They hinder the shaking of the Earth if not stop it altogether. God has said:

"And He has set firm mountains in the Earth so that it would not shake with you..."
Koran (16:15)

According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, mountains work as stabilizers for the earth in that they act as resistance to the shift of the plates. This is consistent with the Peg Theory above.

Could anyone at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have known all this? They didn't have drilling equipment, that's for sure. Modern Geology has confirmed the truth of these verses.

3- Cosmology, observational and theoretical, clearly indicates that, at one time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of "smoke" (an opaque, highly dense and hot gaseous composition). This is an undisputed principle of Cosmology. Scientists observe stars being born from the remnants of that "smoke", which we now know as nebulae. The stars you see at night all came from this "smoke" material. God has said in the Koran:

"Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke..."
Koran (41:11)

Everything, actually, was one, connected entity. That is, the whole universe was part of this "smoke". Then out of this "smoke", they separated (Big Bang?). The Koran says:

"Have not those who disbelieved known that the heavens and the earth were one connected entity, then We separated them?"
Koran (21:30)

Who would have thought of that at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)? Nobody. The Earth and the Heavens all came from one place: this entity, or "smoke", that God created.

4- Who, also, would have thought that the Koran has something to say about the Prefrontal Area of the Cerebrum? God has said in the Koran about one person who forbade the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from praying at the Kaaba:

"No! If he does not stop, We will take him by the nasiya (front of the head)... A lying, sinful nasiya"
Koran (96:15-16)

So, why did the Koran say that the front of the head was lying and sinful, not the person who forbade the Prophet (PBUH) from praying? What is the relationship between the nasiya and sinfulness?

Scientists discovered that the prefronal area of the cerebral cortex in humans is responsible for motivation to do certain things, and was also believed to be a functional center of aggression. This area of the cerebrum is thus responsible for planning, motivating, and initiating good and sinful behavior. It is also responsible for telling the truth and lying.
Who would have known that in the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?

These points are interesting. They tell us that the Koran is indeed a revelation from God, and that the Koran was revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They also convey in a sense the Truth of Islam. As Glorfindel mentioned, for those who are Muslim and reading this, this is something that can help strengthen your belief. For those who are not, think about these points. I'll be happy to answer any questions about these verses as well. :-D '

More to come...

[Saracen]

The Quran on Seas and Rivers:

Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea has its own temperature, salinity, and density.1 For example, Mediterranean sea water is warm, saline, and less dense, compared to Atlantic ocean water. When Mediterranean sea water enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill, it moves several hundred kilometers into the Atlantic at a depth of about 1000 meters with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics. The Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth2 (see figure 13).



Figure 13: The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (C°). (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

Although there are large waves, strong currents, and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.

The Holy Quran mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress. God has said:

He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress. (Quran, 55:19-20)

But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier. God has said in the Quran:

He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition. (Quran, 25:53)

One may ask, why did the Quran mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?

Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a “pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers.”3 This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water4 (see figure 14).



Figure 14: Longitudinal section showing salinity (parts per thousand ‰) in an estuary. We can see here the partition (zone of separation) between the fresh and the salt water. (Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, p. 301, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

This information has been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen dissolubility, etc. The human eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet, rather the two seas appear to us as one homogeneous sea. Likewise, the human eye cannot see the division of water in estuaries into the three kinds: fresh water, salt water, and the partition (zone of separation).

Taken from http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch1-1-e.htm .

More to come...

[Glorfindel]

Moath

Salam

great post and I hope all members in this forum will benefit from this thread..and see the greatness of Islam

thx

[Saracen]

Wa alaikum issalaam, Glorfindel.

I do hope the same thing as well.

[Muslima]

alsalam alikum w rahamat allah wa barakatuh

thank you for your post it is really god

i aslo have a documentary about this subject which would be great to see if somebody leads to how i post it from my pc.

[pharaoh]

Muslima wrote: alsalam alikum w rahamat allah wa barakatuh

thank you for your post it is really god

i aslo have a documentary about this subject which would be great to see if somebody leads to how i post it from my pc.

Well the documentary is not written on the PC?
If it is then you can just copy and past.

[Saracen]

Wa alaikum es salaam, Muslima and pharaoh. :-D

By ALL means, please post!

Thank you for your compliments as well, but this post will be better if you ALL contributed... and a big thanks to Glorfindel for starting this. :tu:

[Muslima]

i cant copy paste a 700 MB video documentary!

[Saracen]

700 megs?! :shock:

Rats... I'll be posting soon, anyways...

[Saracen]

Quote: Contributions Of Islam To Medicine
Ezzat Abouleish , M. D.

DEDICATION

This paper is dedicated to those who contributed to the well being of mankind and have done their best to make our journey on this planet more pleasant; to all of them, irrespective of their race, religion or country of origin.

Introduction
Medicine, as it stands today, did not develop overnight. It is the culmination of efforts of millions of people, some we know and others we do not. The flame of civilization, including medicine, started thousands of years ago. The flame has been handed over from one generation to another, and from one country to the other. Depending on who took the sacred responsibility of hosting it, sometimes it got brighter and sometimes it got dimmer. However, it never died away, because if it did, it would have been too hard to start all over again.

Between the ancient civilizations, namely the Egyptians, Greek, Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese, and the Renaissance era in Europe, there was a gap, commonly called "the dark ages", during which the flame was hosted, not by the West, but by another culture and people called the Arabs or the Moslems. The nomenclature, "the dark ages" reflects the civilization in Europe between the 7th and 13th centuries, but by no means it expresses the state of affairs in the Arab world or the Islamic Empire at that time when an and science were as bright as the midday sun. That era, unjustifiably, has been commonly neglected and overpassed, as if nothing happened. This paper is an effort to elude to the important events which took place and the significant physicians who lived during that period.

The Spread of Islam
In order to understand how medicine developed in the middle ages, we have to look back at the history and find out the important things that happened during the Seventh Century.

In 570 A.D., a man was born in a small city in the Arabian peninsula, called Mecca (Haykal 1976), his name was Mohammed. In 610 A.D. he declared a new religion, Islam. In 632 A.D., he died after uniting the Arab tribes who had been torn by revenge, rivalry, and internal fights. Out of these mostly illiterate nomadic people, he produced a strong nation that encountered and conquered, simultaneously, the two known empires at that time, namely, the Persian and Byzantine Empires. In a man's life-time, the Islamic Empire extended from the Atlantic Ocean on the West, to the borders of China on the East. In 711 A.D., only 80 years after the death of their prophet, the Arabs crossed to Europe to rule Spain for more than 700 years. In 732 A.D., they threatened Paris and their thrust was stopped at Tours and Poiter (Eigeland 1976). In 831 A.D., the Moslems of North Africa invaded Sicily and ruled it for 200 years. By 846 A.D., they controlled the southern part of Italy and encountered Rome (Hitti 1977). The hold of the Moslems over Italy remained so firm that Pope John VIII (872-882 A.D.) deemed it prudent to pay tribute for two years (Hitti 1977) In 869 A.D., the Arabs captured Malta (Ibn-Khaldun). In the tenth century, from Italy and Spain, the Arabs extended their raids through the Alpine passages into mid-Europe. In the Alps, there are a number of castles and walls which tourists guides attribute to the invasion of the Moslems of Sicily. In the southern part of Italy and in Sicily, a great civilization was established and through which the torch of knowledge spread to Europe, mainly through the University of Salerno in the southern part of Italy (Hitti 1977, Parente 1967).

The expansion of the Moslems in Europe was not limited to those from North Africa and Spain. The Moslems, under the Ottoman Empire, invaded Europe from the East. They occupied a good part of Middle Europe and besieged Vienna twice, once during the reign of Sulayman 1 (1520-1566 A.D.) and the other during the reign of Mohammed IV (1648-1687 A.D.) (Hitti 1977).


Islam and the Promotion of Culture and Science
As the Moslems challenged the civilized world at that time, they preserved the cultures of the conquered countries. On the other hand, when the Islamic Empire became weak, most of the Islamic contributions in art and science were destroyed. This was done by the Mongols who, out of barbarism, burnt Baghdad (1258 A.D.), and by the Spaniards, who out of hatred, demolished most of the Arabic heritage in Spain. The difference between the Arabs and these was the teachings of Islam which:

1. Stressed the importance and respect of learning. For example, the first word revealed to the Moslems' prophet Mohammed was "Read". In Mohammed's era, a captured enemy was freed if he paid a ransom or taught ten Moslems writing and reading. In their holy book, the Qur'an, the importance of knowledge has been repeatedly stressed as it says "Those who know and those who do not are not equal." The prophet Mohammed stressed learning by saying. "One hour of teaching is better than a night of praying." One of the early princes, Khalid fbn Yazid (end of the 7th century), gave up his treasure for the study of medicine and chemistry. He studied medicine under John the Grammarian of Alexandria, and chemistry under Merrinos the Greek (Haddad 1942). He also encouraged several Greek and Coptic medical books to be translated into Arabic.

2. Forbade destruction. On conquering Mecca, the prophet Mohammed strongly stated that no homes, animals, or trees should be destroyed. His followers abided with these principles when conquering other countries.

3. Encouraged cleanliness and personal hygiene. Islam instructed them to approach God in their prayers five times a day with bodies and clothes spotlessly clean.

4. Developed in them the respect of authority and discipline. For example, realizing the scourges and terror of plague, their prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) decreed that "no man may enter or leave a town in which plague broke out." And to make this law all the more binding and effective, he promised the blessing of heaven to those who die of plague by stating that if a man died of plague he would be considered a martyr (Haddad 1942). Thus Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) laid for the Moslems the laws governing corden and quarantine for the first time in history and made it work.

5. Tolerated other religions. The Islamic religion recognizes Christianity and Judaism and considers their followers to be people with holy books like Moslems. Moreover, they candidly treated the Jews at an era when the latter were persecuted in Europe. Dr. Jacob Minkin, a reputable Rabbi and scholar says "It was Mohammadan Spain, the only land of freedom the Jews knew in nearly a thousand years of their dispersion... While during the Crusades, the armored Knights of the Cross spread death and devastation in the Jewish communities of the countries through which they passed, Jews were safe under the sign of the Crescent. They were not only safe in life and possessions, but were given the opportunity to live their own lives and develop a culture so unique and striking that it went down in history as the 'Golden Ages'. The Moors, the Muslim conquerors of Spain in 711, were not religious fanatics. They were strong in their faith but generous with regard to the religious convictions of others.... "The Ranaissance of Art in Italy, says George A. Dorsey, has blinded us to the Renaissance of Science in Spain, which fostered science, promoted culture, encouraged learning, and set a premium on intellectual pursuits, no matter whether the intellect was Moslem, Christian or Jew. Not since the days of Greece had the world known such thirst for knowledge, such passion for learning, such spirit shared by the prince and the courtien alike" (Minkin 1968).

The Arabs were assimilated by the vast new countries they reached. From this marriage of genuine characters and righteousness with the ancient and well established civilizations, a great new nation was born. It is difficult to identify this new breed as Arabs, because although the language was Arabic, all the scientists were not necessarily from the Arabian Peninsula. It is also equally difficult to describe it as Islamic, because although the majority of the scientists were Moslems, sponsored by Moslem rulers, and governed by the Islamic law, yet some scientists were Christians or Jews, especially at the early phase of the lslamic civilization: the translation period to Arabic, and the decline part: the translation period to Latin and Hebrew. Therefore, in this article, the adjectives Arabic or Islamic will be used as synonyms.

Medicine Before Islam
In order to comprehend the contributions of Arabs to medicine,we must have in our minds a picture of the condition of medicine before they arrived to the scene. Generally speaking, two elements are required for medical practice:

Manpower and hospitals

A. Manpower before Islam:

There were medical centers in different parts of the world which were later either under control of the Arabs or in touch with them. For example, in Syria, medicine was advanced and was greatly influenced by the Byzantine civilization which affected also the economic and administrative systems (Hammameh 1962). From the fifth century on, the Greek was the language of learning in Syria. The knowledge of the Arabs of the Greek civilization was mainly through the Syrian scholars who translated it into Arabic. In Egypt, Alexandria was another center for culture. The Arabs got in touch with both the ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations through the Egyptian scholars. In Persia, there was a medical school in a city called Jundi-Shapur in which medicine was highly developed. The Abbasi Caliphs during the 8th century encouraged the Persian physicians to translate into Arabic the medical knowledge therein, to build medical centers in Baghdad, the capital of their empire, and to run newly built hospitals. With further expansion east, the Arabs through contacts with India and China, brought ideas and methods, not only in medicine, but also in mathematics, chemistry, philosophy, etc.

B. Hospitals Before Islam:

Hospitals as we know them now probably were not present. True, there were places for the sick to stay, but these were mainly temples or annexes to temples that were run by priests. Gods were supposed to play a major role in the art of healing. For example, the Goddess Toueris was the Egyptian symbol of fecundity and protectress of the pregnant and parturient. She was shown as a standing pregnant hippopotamus carrying the hicroglyph meaning protection in one paw, and the sign of life in the other. Small figures of Toucris were popular as amulets (Speert 1973). In those days, sanctuary, prayers, inactation, and hypnosis were integral parts of the therapy.

Characteristic Features of Hospitals in the Islamic Civilization
During the Islamic civilization, hospitals had much developed and attained specific characteristics:

1. Secular: Hospitals served all peoples irrespective of color, religion, or background. They were run by the government rather than by the church, and their Directors were commonly physicians assisted by persons who had no religious color. In hospitals, physicians of all faiths worked together with one aim in common: the well-being of patients.

2. Separate wards: Patients of different sexes occupied separate wards. Also different diseases especially infectious ones, were allocated different wards.

3. Separate nurses: Male nurses were to take care of male patients, and vice versa.

4. Baths and water supplies: Praying five times a day is an important pillar of Islam. Sick or healthy, it is an Islamic obligation; of course physical performance depends on one's health, even he can pray while laying in bed. Before praying, washing of face, head, hands, and feet must be done, if possible. For certain conditions, a bath is obligatory. Therefore, these hospitals had to provide the patients and employees with plentiful water supply and with bathing facilities.

5. Practicing physicians: Only qualified physicians were allowed by law to practice medicine. In 931 A.D., the Caliph Al-Mugtadir from the Abbasid dynasty, ordered the Chief Court-Physician Sinan Ibn-Thabit to screen the 860 physicians-of Baghdad, and only those qualified were granted license to practice (Hamarneh 1962). The counterpart of Ibn- Tbabit, Abu-Osman Sai'd Ibn-Yaqub was ordered to do the same in Damascus, Mecca, and Medina. The latter two cities were in need for such an act because of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visiting them every year. This was to prevent taking advantage of these pilgrims and to curb the spread of diseases among them.

6. Rather medical schools: The hospital was not only a place for treating patients, but also for educating medical students, interchanging medical knowledge, and developing medicine as a whole. To the main hospitals, there were attached expensive libraries containing the most up-to-date books, auditoria for meetings and lectures, and housing for students and house-staff.

7.Proper records of patients: For the first time in history, these hospitals kept records of patients and their medical care.

8. Pharmacy: During the Islamic era, the science and the profession of pharmacy had developed to an outstanding degree. The Arabic materia medica became so rich and new drugs and compounds were introduced because the Muslims had contact with almost all the known world at that time, either through control or trade. Their ships sailed to China and the Philippines, and their convoys made trades with black Africa, Europe and Asia. Chemistry became an advanced science, and there were means and need for a specialization called pharmacy.

Thus, the main Arabian hospitals were models for medieval hospitals built later in Europe. They were rather medical schools to which those seeking advanced medical knowledge, from the East or West, attended.

The Reasons for the High Standard of Islamic Hospitals
In the Islamic Empire, the hospitals attained a golden era unsurpassed in previous history. The reasons behind such a high standard include:

1. Being part of a civilization as a whole:The people were prosperous; thus, they were capable of taking care of their health and of seeking the best available treatment. Also, lslam stresses the necessity of seeking treatment of every disease; the Prophet says "For every disease, God created a cure." The required sciences for good medical care were at a high standard e.g. the Arabs were advanced in chemistry, mathematics, administration, pharmacy, medicine, etc. They gave the world the system of numbering which have replaced the cumbersome Roman numerals. The world owes to them the knowledge of the following chemical reactions, namely sublimation, precipitation, filtration, distillation, etc. The great Arab chemist Jabir Ibn- Hayan discovered sulphuric and nitric acids. According to Webster Dictionary, the words sugar, alcohol, alkali, syrup, coffee, cotton, all are Arabic words. Fielding H. Garrison, the author of the well-known work on the "History of Medicine" said: "...The Saracens themselves were the originators not only of algebra, chemistry, and geology, but of many of the so- called improvements or refinements of civilization, such as street lamps, window-panes, firework, stringed instruments, cultivated fruits, perfumes, spices, etc... "

2. High prestige of physicians: The physicians in this era earned a high prestige. Although anyone, irrespective of his social status, can study medicine, yet the route was long and tedious. He had to finish Islamic studies, philosophy, astronomy, art, chemistry, etc. before being accepted as a medical student. Therefore, the physician was a cultured person who had wisdom and knowledge. In fact, the Arabic translation of a physician is "Hakim" which means sage. In the 9th and 10th century, the Court- Physician was in the protocol ahead of the Chief-Justice. Many eminent physicians, as we will discuss later, showed enough talent, social knowledge, political capabilities, and wisdom to be appointed by the Caliphs as prime ministers (Visiers). Owing to the high prestige and connections of physicians, generous funds for hospitals were easily obtained.

3. Rulers' involvement in public services: The Caliphs of the Islamic empire built magnificent hospitals for one or more of the following reasons:

a. Religion: Their religion stated that money spent on charity is a good investment for Judgment Day.

b. Eternity: The Pharoahs of Ancient Egypt sought eternity by building pyramids, the rulers of Islam sought the same thing by building mosques, hospitals, and schools carrying their names.

c. Politics: To show their people that they cared, and were interested in them, the rulers built hospitals.
Whatever the motive of the ruler, the population benefited and good hospitals were erected.

4. Adequate financing to run the hospitals:The rulers set aside generous funds to run these hospitals. Also the philanthropists gave generously, thus following their religious beliefs and imitating their rulers. In Islam, there is a special system called Al-Waqf. A person can donate part or all of this wealth to charity. The government takes care of such a donation, and its revenues help to maintain and build mosques, hospitals, and schools. Another source of funds and an important pillar of Islam is alms-giving (2 1/2% of property value). Collected alms goes to the state treasury which takes care of charitable organizations. Very few hospitals in the Islamic era were private. Thus, patients fees constituted an unimportant source of funding.

Specific Hospitals

The capital of the Islamic empire kept changing from one dynasty to the other. In each capital, an important medical center developed. Thus, by the end of the 13th century, there were many medical centers spread throughout the Arab world. Space does not allow the description of all the hospitals built throughout these centuries. We, therefore, chose some of the important ones which will be described according to the region where they were developed.

1. In El-Sham
El-Sham at that time included what is known now as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, Damascus and Jerusalem were the important cities.


a. In Damascus: The first known hospital in Islam was built in Damascus in 706 A.D. by the Umayyad Caliph, Al-Walid (Hamarneh 1962). The most important hospital built in Damascus in the middle ages was named Al-Nuri Hospital, after King Nur Al-Din Zinki, in 1 156. This hospital was built during the Crusade Wars to fulfill a need for a well-equipped and well-staffed hospital. It turned out to be not only a first class hospital, but also a first class medical school. The king donated to the hospital a whole library rich in medical books. It is important to understand why books were expensive and limited in number in the middle ages. This was because they were hand-written as printing was not used until the middle of the fifteenth century. The hospital adopted medical records, probably the first first in history. From its medical school, many eminent physicians graduated, an example is Ibn Al-Nafis, the scholar who discovered the pulmonary circulation as will be discussed. The hospital served the people for seven centuries and parts of it still exist.

b. In Jerusalem: In 1055 A.D., the Crusaders built Saint John Hospital. By the end of the eleventh century, it grew to such an extent to include a hospital, a palace for knights, and a convent for the nursing sisters. The medical activities of the hospital were tremendous because of the large number of daily admissions of patients, pilgrims, and wounded soldiers. After the liberation of Jerusalem by Salah Al-Din in 1187 A.D., the hospital name was changed into Al-Salahani Hopital. He expanded the hospital which continued to serve the people until its destruction by an earthquake in 1458 A.D.

2. In Iraq and Persia:

In 750 A.D., Baghdad was built to be the capital of the Abbasid dynasty by the Calip Abu-Gaifar Al- Mansur. In 766 A.D., he assigned the dean of the medical school of Jindi Shapur, Judis Ibn-Babtishu', to be the Court- Physician and to establish hospitals proportionate to the glory and prosperity of Baghdad.

When Harun Al-Rashid followed (786-809 A.D.), he ordered the grandson of Ibn-Bahtishu and his Court-Physician, Jibril, to build a special hospital named Baghdad Hospital. This hospital developed into an important medic center. One of its chiefs was Al-Razi, the eminent Internist.

In 918 A.D., the Caliph Al-Mugtadir built two hospitals in Baghdad. One was on the east side of the city which he named Al-Sayyidah Hospital, after his mother. The other was on the west side which he named, Al- Mugtadiri Hospital, after himself.

Another important hospital was named Al-Adudi Hospital. It was built in 981 A.D. after King Adud Al-Dawlah. It was the most magnificent hospital built in Baghdad before modern time. The Caliph wanted to outdo his predecessors. It was furnished with the best equipment and supplies known at the time. It had interns, residents, and 24 consultants attending its professional activities. Haly Abbas, who wrote the famous book "Liber Regius (Al-Malaki)", was one of the staff. It was destroyed in 1258 when the Mongols, led by Holagu the grandson of Ghingiz Khan, invaded Baghdad.

3. In Egypt:

In 872 A.D., Ahmed Ibn-Tulun built a hospital called Al-Fusta Hospital in the City Al-Fustat which is now in old Cairo. It served the growing Cairo population for six centuries. It was divided into separate wards. On admission, the patients were given special apparel while their clothes, money, and valuables were stored until the time of their discharge.

In 1284 A.D., King Al-Mansur Qalawun built an important hospital named Al-MansuriHospital . The story behind its construction is interesting. King Al-Mansur Qalawun was an officer in the Arabian army fighting the Crusaders. While in the Holy Land, he fell sick and was admitted to Al- Nuri Hospital. On recovery, he vowed that if he ever became the ruler of Egypt, he would build a great hospital in Cairo even more magnificent than Al-Nuri Hospital for, the sick. poor, and rich alike. At the dedication ceremony, he asked for a cup of wine from the pharmacy. After drinking it he declared that by taking that portion as a medication, he was signifying that the hospital was serving all people. from the king to the least of his subjects (Hamarneh 1962).

e. It was the best hospital built then as reported by the contemporary historians such as Ibn-Battota and El-Kalkashandi. It had different sections for different diseases. Music therapy was used as a line of treatment for psychiatric patients. It served 4,000 patients daily. The patient's stay in the hospital was free moreover on his discharge, the patient was given food and money for compensation for being out of work during his hospital stay. Al-Mansuri Hospital has served Cairo for seven centuries since it has been built. It is now used for ophthalmology and called Mustashfa Qalawun. Its ancient door is preserved in the Islamic Museum of Cairo.

4. In North Africa (Al-Maghrib Al-Arabi):


a. Tunisia: In 830 A.D., Prince Ziyadat Allah I, built Al-Qayrawan Hospital in a district of the Qayrawan city called Al-Dimnah. Subsequently all hospitals in Tunisia were called Dimnah instead of Bimaristan as they were called in the East, which is a Persian word meaning a hospital. The Qayrawan Hospital was characterized by spacious separate wards waiting rooms for visitors and patients, and female nurses from Sudan, an event representing the first use of nursing in Arabic history. The hospital also included a chapel for prayers.

b. Morocco: In 1190 A.D., the king Al-Mansur Ya'qub Ibn-Yusuf, built a hospital in the capital city, Marakesh, named it the Marakesh Hospital. It was a huge hospital beautifully landscaped with fruit trees and flowers. Water was brought by aqueducts to all sections. Patients were provided with special apparel: one for winter and another for summer. The pharmacy was taken care of by specialists called the Sayadlah. There was an expensive private section where a patient was charged what is equivalent to $ 1501 day. One thousand years ago, this fee was quite expensive.

5. Al-Andalus (Spain):

In 1366 A.D., Prince Muhammed Ibn-Yusuf Ibn Nasr, built the Granada Hospital in the city of Granada which had expanded to half a million population. The hospital represented the beauty of the Arabic architecture in Spain and served the people until the fall of Granada in 1492 A.D.

http://www.islam-usa.com/im3.html

How beautiful. :tu:

More to come...

[Zeeman]

Fantastic posts...Great effort

I have read about other scientific verses in the Quran too and hope to look for them and post them..

[Alghazali]

Good Work Guys, Keep the Posts coming.

Quote: Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction): it was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls. Quran 30:9

Salam

[Saracen]

Shabab... please post! It would be an honor having you guys contribute. :-D

[Saracen]

Source wrote: The Quran says that Adam & Eve were created in Heaven. When they disobeyed God, He expelled them from Heaven down to Earth:

(Quran 2.35-36) We [Allah] said: "O Adam! Dwell with your wife in Heaven; and eat anything you like, but do not approach this tree, or else you would become transgressors." 36 After this, Satan made them slip from it (Heaven), and got them out of the state in which they had been. We [Allah] said: "Get down all of you (Adam, Eve and Satan), and let enmity be among you; Let Earth be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood for a time."

Earth became their dwelling place after they were expelled from Heaven. So originally, Adam & Eve were not created on Earth. The Quran never said that Adam & Eve were the first creatures on Earth. Actually the Quran says that when Adam & Eve were still in Heaven, someone on Earth was already making mischief and not worshipping God:

(Quran 2.30) The Lord said to the angels: "I will create a successor on Earth." They said: "How do You install someone one who makes mischief and sheds blood? While we praise your mercy and glorify (Your Name)?"; He said: "I know what you do not know."

Since in the very next verse the angels admit that they cannot tell the future, then they had to be referring to someone making mischief and shedding blood on Earth at that time (when Adam & Eve were still in Heaven).

Moreover, God wanted Adam & Eve to succeed someone. So were the souls of the first humans (Adam & Eve) put into those evolved homo sapiens? Moslems believe that souls are assigned to humans 40 days after the human conception. The Quran says that angels retrieve human souls on two occasions. One occasion is when humans die. The other occasion is every time humans fall asleep. When humans wakeup, the angels release those souls back to them:

(Quran 39.42) It is Allah who takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that did not die, during their sleep. Those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back, but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed. These are Signs for those who reflect.

So, according to the Quran, humans can be alive, breathing, with fully functional bodies (hence perfect DNA), but still without souls. Homo sapiens had the same bodies and DNA as humans, but what about their souls? Were the souls of the first humans (Adam & Eve) put into those evolved homo sapiens?

The Quran says that if God wishes He can make our descendents nonhuman:

(Quran 6.133) Your Lord, the Rich and Merciful, if He wishes, can discard you and succeed you with "WHATEVER" He wishes; Just like He created you from the seed of another clan.

The Quran specifically uses the word "Whatever" or "What" ("ma" in Arabic). This Arabic word "ma" cannot refer to humans. This word is strictly reserved for nonhumans (see Arabic wording at footnote [1]). This verse says that if God wishes, He can make our descendents Whatever He wishes (nonhuman), just like our ancestors.

Contrary to the belief of most Moslems, the Quran actually says that while Adam & Eve were still in Heaven, someone on Earth was already making mischief, shedding blood and nonhuman. Having this in mind, all pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Adam & Eve were not physically transported from Heaven to Earth. Instead, their souls were put into the already living homo sapiens. Those homo sapiens were making mischief, shedding blood and not worshiping God (while Adam & Eve were still in Heaven). Only when homo sapiens received human souls they became humans.

We are descendents of those homo sapiens. We just have human souls. Moslems are hesitant about this simply because Allah banned all information about souls and spirits:

(Quran 17.85) And they ask you about the Spirit, say: "The Spirit concerns only my Lord: The knowledge of which only a little is communicated to you".

So all the information that could have easily answered whether or not the souls of the first humans were put into evolved homo sapiens, is banned. Add to this that the Quran totally agrees with science about the evolution of animals. The Quran says that all life started in water, and not on dry land:

(Quran 24.45) And Allah has created every animal from water; of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills: for Allah has power over all things.

This is evolution.
But God made evolution.

What do you guys think of this?

[Muslima]

i will try to find something to post too

[HomoUniversalis]

1a) Can you, for each of the verses you posted, supply the quranic and historic context, including how they were interpreted previously, and why the current interpretation would be more accurate?
1b) If you acknowledge that the interpretation has historically changed, do you also acknowledge the possibility that you are fundamentally misunderstanding and misinterpreting the quran, because you lack the insight to do so?
2) Can you provide an etymology of the word alaqah, as to provide a broad context? Can you also provide etymology for the other words that appear to hold relevance?
3) Can you explain the following:

012.004
YUSUFALI: Behold! Joseph said to his father: "O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!"
PICKTHAL: When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me.
SHAKIR: When Yusuf said to his father: O my father! surely I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon-- I saw them making obeisance to me.

067.005
YUSUFALI: And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.
PICKTHAL: And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.
SHAKIR: And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.

081.002
YUSUFALI: When the stars fall, losing their lustre;
PICKTHAL: And when the stars fall,
SHAKIR: And when the stars darken,

086.005
YUSUFALI: Now let man but think from what he is created!
PICKTHAL: So let man consider from what he is created.
SHAKIR: So let man consider of what he is created:
086.006
YUSUFALI: He is created from a drop emitted-
PICKTHAL: He is created from a gushing fluid
SHAKIR: He is created of water pouring forth,
086.007
YUSUFALI: Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs:
PICKTHAL: That issued from between the loins and ribs.
SHAKIR: Coming from between the back and the ribs.

4) Have you taken knowledge, and do you acknowledge the existence of special receptors in the human brain that react ONLY to cannabis and similar chemical (like HU-210) that do not exist, naturally, in the human body?
5) Do you acknowledge the paradox of a creator inspiring the human body with these receptors, the ability to experience the effects of the chemical, and then ordering man not to use it? "Why give a robot a penis if you don't want it to use it?"

Mr U

[Saracen]

HomoUniversalis wrote: 1a) Can you, for each of the verses you posted, supply the quranic and historic context, including how they were interpreted previously, and why the current interpretation would be more accurate?

I just did. It is included within the source.

Quote: 1b) If you acknowledge that the interpretation has historically changed, do you also acknowledge the possibility that you are fundamentally misunderstanding and misinterpreting the quran, because you lack the insight to do so?

Interpretation has not changed. It is still the same way it is back then, but one should note the context of the verse. That context will always stick to the verse regardless. Moreover, if it's anyone who lacks the insight into interpreting the Koran's verses, it's you: I can read the Koran in Arabic.

AA wrote: The Islamic empire in the early 6th. centuries were the inheritors of the scientific tradition of late antiquity. They preserved it, elaborated it, and finally, passed it to Europe (Science p3). At this early date, the Islamic dynasty of the Umayyads envinced an interest in science. It was the century that were, for Europeans, the Dark Ages, were, for Muslim scholars, centuries of philosophical and scientific discovery and development. The Arabs at the time not only assimilated the ancient wisdom of Persia, and the classical heritage of Greece, but adapted their own distinctive needs and ways of thinking (Hitti 363).

The Islamic ability to reconcile monotheism and science proofs to be a first time in human thought that theology, philosophy, and science were finally harmonized in a unified whole. Thus their contribution was "one of the first magnitude, considering its effect upon scientific and philosophic thought and upon the theology of later times" (Hitti 580). One of the reason for such development of science is probably due to God's commandment to explore the laws of nature. The idea is to admire all creations for its complexity - to cherish the creator for the ingenuity. Possibly holding to this believe, Islam's contributions to science had covered many roots of thought including mathematics, astronomy, medicine and philosophy. This paper will examine these roots of natural science, and unearth the contributions of the Islamic thinkers.

Islam's redound to encourage into thinking was accessed by two other ancient cultures - the Persian and the Indians. They became part of the Islamic heritage in the field of mathematics (Hitti 373). About the year 600 A.H.-during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad - an Indian Muslim mathematician developed the symbol "cipher" or zero and the system of placed notation. This invention, first mentioned in a Syriac text written in 662 AD, revolutionized the study of mathematics and made possible the great achievements of Muslim mathematicians (Science p4).

Mathematical vocabulary such as "algebra" and "algorithm" are actually borrowings from Arabic words, that were later translated into Latin. It was a Muslim mathematician who formulated the trigonometric function explicitly. The word "sine" was actually the direct translation of the arabic word "jayb". An English mathematician Robert of Chester, who flourished in the middle of the twelfth century, was the first to use sinus equivalent to this Arabic jayb in its trigonometrical acception (Hitti 573). Al-Khwarizmi composed the oldest book on mathematics, known only in translation. He presented more than 800 examples of the calculation of integration and equation, later anticipated by Neo-Babylonians (Hitti 379)."As in trigonometry so in Algebra Muslims must be considered as the founders of this science whose very name reflects its origin... al-Khwarizmi... firmly established this branch of mathematics" (qtd. King 214). They introduced it with the Arabic numerals into Europe and taught Westerners the most convenient convention of arithmetic concept. "The zero and Arabic numerals lie behind the science of calculation as we know it today" (Hitti 573-574).

In the first half of the ninth century, exponent numerals including the zero is used in preference to letters by al- Khwarizmi. In the second half of the ninth century, the Muslims of Spain developed numerals slightly different in shape, huruf al-ghubar (letters of dust), originally used in conjunction with a type of sand abacus. Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa, who was taught by a Muslim master published a work which remain a landmark in the introduction of the Arabic numerals (Hitti 573-574).

Early in the ninth century, mathematical calculations stimulates the crave for answers to the celestial motion. This curiosity introduces a new field of thought, called astronomy. One most important application of astronomy is the timekeeping for the time of the five daily prayers. These are defined according to the position of the sun moving from east to west. The earliest known tables for such purpose are dated from the tenth century (King 46-48). As necessary to accurate timekeeping as tables are the instruments used by the Muslims:

The magnificent sundial that ibn al-Shatir constructed in the year 1371/72 to adorn the main minaret of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. The sundial displays the time of day relative to sunrise, midday, and sunset and relative to the afternoon prayer. There are also special curves for times relative to daybreak and nightfall. Thus the sundial effectively measures time with respect to each of the five daily prayers (King 547).

An individual by the name of Ibn al-Sarraj devised a series of astrolables, quadrants, trigonometric grids and other instruments which are innovative to the extreme. "I consider Ibn al-Sarraj's astrolable, which is universal from five different aspects, to be the most sophisticated astrolable from the Near East and Europe..." (King 544).

Al-Khwarizmi, the genius mathematician, at the time applied his findings to the new field from which he composed the oldest planetary tables, or the zij (King 39, Hitti 379). His work serves as a reference text and were rendered into Latin in the twelfth century by Gerard of Cremona (Hitti 571). Among the first regular astronomical observatory tower constructed was in Jundaysabur, south west of Persia, under the direction of Sind ibn-'Ali, and Yahaya ibn-abi-Mansur. Being the Caliph's astronomer, not only that they construct a systematic chart of celestial movements, but also verified the fundamental elements of the Almangest (Hitti 373-375). The astronomers of al-Mamun, the Abbasid Caliph, made many original observations. One of the most outstanding is the measurement of the meridian near Mosul. It was found to be 111,814 meters, and measured a degree of latitude at about 36x north to be 2877 feet (qtd. King 214-215). "The object is to determine the size of the earth and its circumference on the assumption that the earth was round" (Hitti 375).

In Spain, astronomical studies were cultivated after the middle of the tenth century. They reproduced the Aristotelian system, as distinguished from the Ptolemaic, the representation of celestial movements. Abu-al-Qasim Maslamah al-Majriti (of Madrid), the earliest Spanish Muslim astronomer edited and corrected the zij (planetary tables of al-Khwarizmi), the first tables composed by a Muslim. Among al-Majriti titles were al- hisab or the mathematician, for he was considered the leader in mathematical knowledge. About fourteen years later, the zij that of al-Battani, was rendered into Latin by Plato of Tivoli. Copernicus later quotes al-Battani in his book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium . Al-Zarqali (known as Arzachel in Latin West) the foremost astronomical observer of his age, deviced the safihah, a type of astrolabe, that prove the motion of solar apogee with reference to the stars (Hitti 570-71). Al-Bitruji, known as Alpetragius developed a new theory of stellar movement and wrote The book of Form in which it was detailed (Science p22 c3).

Arab astronomers left the sky immortal traces of their findings. Not only are most of the star-names in European languages are of Arabic origin (The Worlds Almanac and fact Book p199 c2), but a number of technical term such as "azimuth" (al- sumut), "nadir" (nazir), "zenith" (al-samt) are of Arabic etymology. This testifies the rich legacy of Islam to Christian Europe (Hitti 573).

The first of the Arabians, the rival indeed of Galen, was the Persian Ibn Sina, or better known as Avicenna. He was given the title 'the Prince of Medicine'. His most celebrated work is Al-Qanun Fil-Tibb or "the Canon of Medicine." He is one of the greatest names in the history of medicine. He could repeat the Quraan by heart when he was ten years old, and by twelve he had disputed in law and logic. He found that medicine was an easy subject, not hard and thorny (Osler 98). "When I found a difficulty," he says, "I reffered to my notes and prayed to the creator" (qtd. Osler 98). His book was long and lengthy, testifying many aspects of medicine. He classifies efficient causes and symptoms of diseases. He said that diseases are caused by the imbalance of the four elementary qualities of hot, wet cold and dry in the body. Those caused by the faulty composition or conformation of bodily parts, and those caused by trauma. The cause of disease is categorize as either connected by the environment, regimen, and psychology. Among them are the traditional scheme of "non naturals" from air, food and drink, repletion and inanition, to the passions of the soul. His book also discuss concerns for the conservation of health: separate sections on pediatric, adult, and geriatric regimen. Avicenna provides twenty one fen on ailments distinctive to each major organs of the body-arranged from head to toe. (Siraisi 21-22).

The "Black Death", in the middle of the fourteenth century ravaged Europe while the Christians stood helpless. Ibn-al- Khatib, a physician of Granada composed a treaties in defence of the contagion theory and said:

To those who say, "How can we admit the possibility of infection while the religious law denies it?" we reply that the existence of contagion is established by experience, investigation, the evidence on the senses and trustworthy reports. These facts constitute a sound argument. The fact of contagion becomes clear to the investigator who notices how he who establishes contact with afflicted gets the disease, whereas he who is not in contact remains safe, and how transmission through garments, vessels and earrings (qtd. Hitti 576).

The circulation of blood and the idea of quarantine came from an empirical indication of contagion. It was discovered by Ibn al- Nafis. Ibn Juljul of Cordoba in 943 became a leading physician at the age of 24, compiled a book of special treaties on drugs found in al-Andalus, the Iberian Peninsula (science p23). Ibn-Masawayh wrote the oldest systematic treaties on opthamology. The book, titled al-Ashr Maqalat fi al-'Ayn (the ten treaties of the eye) was the earliest existing text book of opthmathology. In the curative use of drugs, some amazing advances were made by the Muslims. They have established the first apothecary shops, and founded the earliest school of pharmacy (Hitti 364).

The Prince of Medicine, Avicenna, is himself a philosopher (Arabic falsafah). Philosophy at the time is defined as the knowledge of the true cause of things as they really are (Hitti 369). He is the first of the Arabic language who created a philosophical system which is really complete and whole (Khan 5). "It is noteworthy that Avicenna to his independent intellectual attainments was without undue modesty" (Fakhry 149). From his initial study of logic, he turned to the study of physics, and metaphysics entirely on his own. He became the mentor of many senior physician at the age of sixteen. By the age of eighteen, he had mastered logic, physics and mathematics, so there was nothing left for him to learn except to concentrate on metaphysics. His major philosophical treaties is Kitab al-Shifa or the Book of Healing , known in Latin by the title Sufficienta. It is an encyclopedia of Islamic-Greek learning in the eleventh century, ranging from logic to mathematics (Fakhry 149-150).

Another greatest patron of Philosophy and science in the history of Islam is Caliph Al-Mamun. Son of Caliph Harun al- Rashid, he encouraged on holding disputes in court on logical, legal, and grammar (Rahman 182). He express with liberal mindedness, great openness and equanimity (Fakhry 23). He established in Baghdad his famous Bayt al-Hikmah (house of wisdom) (Rahman 4), a combination library and academy which in many respect is an important educational institution (Hitti 310). This library contains books on all subjects-literature, specifically Islamic sciences, natural sciences, logic, philosophy, an many other subjects of thoughts (Rahman 182-183).

The greatest figure in the history of Islamic philosophy and reaction to Neo Platonism is Imam al-Ghazali - a jurist, theologian, philosopher and mystic. He said that the "Fiqh" is the daily bread of believing soul, while the doctrine is only as valuable as a medicine for the sick (De Boer 39). He also said that he is being seized by the desire for the truth. He resolved to search for a "certain knowledge" upon which the object known in manner is not open to doubt at all. So if the truth were to be challenged by a miracle-maker, it would withstand its claim - solid (Fakhry 244-245). Fundamentally, al-Ghazali affirmed an agnosticism about the ultimate and absolute nature of God. This need for religious certainty impelled al-Ghazali to mysticism, and led him back to the discovery of the Quraanic conception of God. This revealed nature of God is constituted by the Divine Names and Attributes (Rahman 95).

The first genuine philosopher to write in Arabic was al- Kindi (Fakhry 9). He is the first peripatetic in Islam. He is related in many ways to Mutazilite Dialecticians and the Neo- Pythagorean Natural-Philosophers (DeBoer 97). He was a man of extraordinary erudition which communicated observations as a geographer, a historian of civilization and a physician (De Boer 99). Kindi is more than a philosopher. He was a chemist, an optician and a music theorist (Hitti 370). "He was in no respect a creative genius" (De Boer 99). The influence of al-Kindi as author and teacher is mainly through his Mathematics, Geography and Medicine (De Boer 105).

The intellectual history of the Arabs which the development of philosophy and science in the Near East virtually begins with the rise of Islam. Islam not only provide the Arabs with bold world-view, but thrust them the cultural stage of the ancient world and set before them their scientific and cultural treasures. The first generation of Muslim scholars dedicated themselves wholly to the fixing of a canon based primarily on the Quran. This is because of the overwhelming sacredness of the Quraan and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (Fakhry 1-3). To the Muslim scholars whose work is shown, the Quraan is the source of all knowledge - the revelation of God (Science 32).

Many hints was given in the Quran as a prove of the All Knowing. God says: "Verily God Knows The secrets of the Heavens And earth:and God sees well all That ye do" (Quran 65:18). Some of the hints that were mentioned are: "Do not the unbeliever see that the heavens and earth Were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water Every living thing. Will they not believe?" (Quran 21:30). God phrase " Do not They Think...", in certain parts of the Quran after illuminating natural phenomena unthought of by man. Such hints enhanced man's curiosity and probably fueled their quest for knowledge. As the roots of knowledge has been established, the branches and leaves then flourished onto todays advance technology. Such roots must never be forgotten as without solid foundation, no pillars can be built and lived on.

This is for the historical context. The context and interpretation with regards to science and whatnot is the same.

Quote: 2) Can you provide an etymology of the word alaqah, as to provide a broad context? Can you also provide etymology for the other words that appear to hold relevance?

Alaqah means clot (of blood), and the shape of a human embryo at first is at first a nutfa (drop), then it is an Alaqah (clot-shaped mass).

Quote: 3) Can you explain the following:

Sure... (cracks knuckles)... here we go...

Quote: 012.004
YUSUFALI: Behold! Joseph said to his father: "O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!"
PICKTHAL: When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me.
SHAKIR: When Yusuf said to his father: O my father! surely I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon-- I saw them making obeisance to me.

This is a prophecy.

Maududi wrote: Throughout the narrative the Quran has made it clear that the Faith of Prophets Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (Allah's peace be upon them all) was the same as that of Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) and they invited the people to the same Message to which Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was inviting them.

If you check out the page, it will reveal to you the context of the Koran's verses.

Quote: 067.005
YUSUFALI: And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.
PICKTHAL: And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.
SHAKIR: And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.

The "Lamps" are the stars of the sky, and these "lamps" might appear as "missiles" (shooting stars or meteors) that are actually believed to be some sort of special sort of arrow that is thrown by either the Angels or God Himself at Jinn who would listen to the plans of God.
Here is the context of the chapter.

Quote: 081.002
YUSUFALI: When the stars fall, losing their lustre;
PICKTHAL: And when the stars fall,
SHAKIR: And when the stars darken,

This talks about the deaths of stars, but the whole Sura is talking about the Day of Resurrection.

Maududi wrote: In the first six verses the first stage of the Resurrection has been mentioned when the sun will lose its light, the stars will scatter, the mountains will be uprooted and will disperse, the people will become heedless of their dearest possessions, the beasts of the jungle will be stupefied and will gather together, and the seas will boil up. Then in the next seven verses the second stage has been described when the souls will be reunited with the bodies, the records will be laid open, the people will be called to account for their crimes, the heavens will be unveiled, and Hell and Heaven will be brought into full view. After depicting the Hereafter thus, man has been left to ponder his own self and deeds, saying: "Then each man shall himself know what he has brought with him."

Quote: 086.005
YUSUFALI: Now let man but think from what he is created!
PICKTHAL: So let man consider from what he is created.
SHAKIR: So let man consider of what he is created:

Just let man consider what he's created from...

Quote: 086.006
YUSUFALI: He is created from a drop emitted-
PICKTHAL: He is created from a gushing fluid
SHAKIR: He is created of water pouring forth,
086.007
YUSUFALI: Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs:
PICKTHAL: That issued from between the loins and ribs.
SHAKIR: Coming from between the back and the ribs.

I debunked this one before. The drop that is emitted is the semen. When it unites with the egg, it grows, and as soon as the embryo becomes human-like, the embryo grows in that direction: in the direction of the ribs and backbone.

Pooya/Ali wrote: The creator who has created man, the most complicated form of an organic being, from an emitted drop can surely let him take a higher intricate form to proceed unto its maker by making use of the special qualities and capacities given to him by Allah. Refer to Yasin: 77 to 82.

It has to do with the growth of the embro. Find it here.

Quote: 4) Have you taken knowledge, and do you acknowledge the existence of special receptors in the human brain that react ONLY to cannabis and similar chemical (like HU-210) that do not exist, naturally, in the human body?

Yes. What does it have to do with the subject at hand? The post concerning the brain has to do with the frontal lobes.

Quote: 5) Do you acknowledge the paradox of a creator inspiring the human body with these receptors, the ability to experience the effects of the chemical, and then ordering man not to use it? "Why give a robot a penis if you don't want it to use it?"

Huh? What are you talking about? If you're talking about sex, then man is ordered to use his penis wisely, not in some haphazard manner.

[Showboat]

To be fair Saracen most of those verses and so vague they could be interpreted as anything.

Arabs were great scientists, they took off where the Greeks left and gave a great service to modern science, that some good science is in the Koran hardly proves divine authorship.

The "Mountain Peg theory" I can find no info on except Islamic web sites. I'm gonna need some reputable scientific paper, non partisan, to beleive that.

Mountains stabilizing the Earth??? Mount St Helens certainly didn't. :lol:
Again find me one, independent from religion, geology link the supports your theory.

Comets are described as firey. Eh? Icey yes, firey no.

Explain Noah's ark. A pair of every species???? What did he go to Australia and pick up some kangaroos, then a quick trip to the galapogos islands to get the species that only live there, then a short hop to Madagasca???? How did plants survive the flood??? How did Noah and his fellow beleivers survive afterwards without eating the animals they had saved.

Quote: "We created man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech-like suspended thing, blood clot, embryo), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah(resembles a chewed substance)..."


Well the first sentence in that can be refuted by science. Clay?

You'll have to do better than that to convince anyone other than fellow believers mate.

[Showboat]

Oh I forgot about your seas and rivers.

Quote: He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress

Go in the Med, then in the atlantic, and you'll notice a difference in temp. People would have known that long before Mohammad, what does this prove?


Quote: He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition.

Drink from a river, then from the sea, and you'll notice the difference. This doesn't exactly prove anything.

[Saracen]

Showboat wrote: Go in the Med, then in the atlantic, and you'll notice a difference in temp. People would have known that long before Mohammad, what does this prove?

It talks about salinity and freshwater.

Showboat wrote: Drink from a river, then from the sea, and you'll notice the difference. This doesn't exactly prove anything.

Take another look at the figures.

Showboat wrote: The "Mountain Peg theory" I can find no info on except Islamic web sites. I'm gonna need some reputable scientific paper, non partisan, to beleive that.

The original source cites that reference.