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Ansar Al-'Adl
02-01-2005, 05:42 PM
INTRODUCTION


Another miraculous aspect of the Qur'an is its prediction of future events, all of which have so far been fulfilled. This is one of the proofs that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah. In the following pages, we will dwell on some of these events.


THE VICTORY OF BYZANTIUM


An astonishing prediction is found in the first verses of Surat ar-Rum, which refers to the Byzantine Empire, the eastern part of the later Roman Empire: The Byzantine Empire, which had met with a great defeat, would soon gain victory.



Alif, Lam, Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but after their defeat they will be victorious within three to nine years. The affair is Allah's from beginning to end. (Qur'an, 30:1-4)



These verses were revealed around 620, almost 7 years after the idolatrous Persians had severely defeated Christian Byzantium in 613-14. In fact, Byzantium had suffered such heavy losses that it seemed impossible for it even to survive, let alone be victorious again. Following their defeat of the Byzantines at Antioch in 613, the Persians seized control of Damascus, Cilicia, Tarsus, Armenia, and Jerusalem. The loss of Jerusalem in 614 was particularly traumatic for the Byzantines, for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the Persians seized the "True Cross," the symbol of Christianity.174 In addition, the Avars, Slavs, and Lombards also were posing serious threats to the Byzantine Empire. The Avars had reached as far as the walls of Constantinople. Emperor Heraclius ordered the gold and silver in churches to be melted and turned into money in order to meet the army's expenses. When this proved insufficient, bronze statues were melted down in order to mint more money. Many governors had revolted against Heraclius, and Byzantium was on the point of collapse.175 Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia, which had earlier belonged to Byzantium, were invaded by the idolatrous Persians.176






The Dead Sea basin where Byzantium was defeated by Persians. Above is a satellite photograph of the region. The Lake of Lut region, which is the lowest region of the world, is 395 meter below the sea level.



In short, everyone was expecting Byzantium to be destroyed. But during this time, the first verses of Surat ar-Rum were revealed, announcing that Byzantium would triumph in 3 to 9 years. This predicted victory seemed so impossible that the Arab polytheists thought it would never come true.






On top a satellite photograph of the Dead Sea basin. The altitude of the Dead Sea could only be determined with modern measurement techniques. These measurements led to the discovery that this region is the "lowest region on the Earth."



Like all the other predictions in the Qur'an, however, this one also came true. In 622, Heraclius gained a number of victories over the Persians and conquered Armenia.177 In December 627, the two empires fought a decisive battle at Nineveh, some 50 kilometres east of the Tigris river, near Baghdad. This time too, the Byzantine army defeated the Persians. A few months later, the Persians had to sue for peace with Byzantium, which obliged them to return the territories they had taken from it.178


The Byzantine victory was completed when Emperor Heraclius defeated the Persian ruler Khosrow II in 630, recaptured Jerusalem, and regained the "True Cross" for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.179 In the end, "the victory of the Romans" proclaimed by Allah in the Qur'an miraculously came true within the verses' stated "three to nine years" time frame.


Another miracle revealed in these verses is the announcement of a geographical fact that could not have been known by anyone at that time: that the Romans had been defeated in the lowest region of Earth. This Arabic expression adna al-Ard is interpreted as "a nearby place" in many translations. However, this is not the literal meaning, but rather a figurative interpretation. The word adna, derived from the word dani (low), means “the lowest”. The word ard means “the world.” Therefore, adna al-ard means "the lowest place on Earth."


Some interpreters of the Qur'an, considering the closeness of the region in question to the Arabs, prefer the "closest" meaning of the word. However, the actual meaning indicates a very important geological fact: The Dead Sea, one of the regions in which the Byzantines were defeated in 613-14, is the lowest region on Earth.180


As stated earlier, for Christian Byzantium, the loss of the True Cross was the heaviest blow in that defeat in Jerusalem, located near the shores of the Dead Sea.




The Byzantines and the Persians actually fought at the Dead Sea basin, which is situated at the intersection point of the lands belonging to Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. At 399 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the "lowest" place on Earth's surface.181


However, as only modern measuring methods and equipment can prove this fact, it would have been impossible for anyone living at that time to realise this truth. Yet, the Qur'an states clearly that this region was the "lowest land" on Earth and thereby provides further evidence that it is the Word of Allah.



THE PRESERVATION OF PHARAOH'S BODY


As we shall see later on, Pharaoh regarded himself as a deity and responded with slanders and threats to Prophet Musa's (as) calls for him to believe in Allah. This arrogant attitude lasted until he was faced with the threat of death through drowning. The Qur'an relates that Pharaoh immediately turned to belief when faced with Allah's punishment:



We brought the tribe of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his troops pursued them out of tyranny and enmity. Then, when he was on the point of drowning, he [Pharaoh] said: "I believe that there is no god but Him in Whom the tribe of Israel believes. I am one of the Muslims." (Qur'an, 10:90)



However, this last-minute conversion was not accepted, for it was not sincere. According to the Qur'an, Allah exclaimed:



"What, now! When previously you rebelled and were one of the corrupters? Today we will preserve your body so you can be a Sign for people who come after you. Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs." (Qur'an, 10:91-92)



The information that Pharaoh's corpse would serve as a sign for later generations may be regarded as an indication that his body would not decay. On display in the Royal Mummies Chamber of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is a mummified body believed to be that of this tyrant. In all likelihood, Pharaoh's body floated to shore after being drowned, was found and mummified by the Egyptians, and then carried to a previously prepared burial chamber.182



THE CONQUEST OF MAKKAH



Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: You will enter the Masjid al-Haram [Sacred Mosque] in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear. He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Qur'an, 48:27)



One night in Madinah, the Prophet (saas) dreamed that the believers would enter the Sacred Mosque and walk around the Ka`bah. After he awoke, he gave this good news to the believers, for those who had migrated from Makkah to Madinah with him had not been able to return since.


In Surat al-Fath 27, Allah revealed to the Prophet (saas) that He would help and support him, that the dream was true, and that the believers would enter Makkah. A short while later, with the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the conquest of Makkah, the believers entered the Sacred Mosque in complete safety, just as the dream had foretold. That was how Allah showed that it had been His will that the Prophet's (saas) dream be fulfilled.


On closer consideration, this verse can be seen to announce yet another victory that will take place before Makkah's capture: the capture of the Khyber Fortress, which was under the control of the Jews, before they entered Makkah.183


Other verses that give the glad tidings of Makkah's conquest are given below:



He held their hands back from you, and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah, after giving you the upper hand over them. Allah sees what you do. (Qur'an, 48:24)


Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive you your earlier errors and any later ones, complete His blessing upon you, and guide you on a Straight Path. And so that Allah may help you with a mighty help. (Qur'an, 48:1-3)



Surat al-Isra' 76 states that the unbelievers cannot stay in Makkah:



They were very near to scaring you from the land with the object of expelling you from it. But had they done so, they would only have remained there a short time after you. (Qur'an, 17:76)



The Prophet (saas) entered Makkah and conquered it in 8 ah (630). Two years later, all of the unbelievers left Makkah, just as Allah had said that they would. Another point that should be noted here is that when the Prophet (saas) gave that good news to the believers, it looked totally out of the question. In fact, the situation pointed in quite the opposite direction, and the polytheists appeared quite determined never to let the believers enter Makkah. As a result, those who had doubts in their hearts began to doubt the Prophet's (saas) words. Yet, the Prophet (saas) trusted in Allah, paid no attention to the doubters' words, and told people what Allah had revealed to him. The Qur'an confirmed his words, and the prediction was fulfilled shortly afterwards.



THE TRIBE OF ISRAEL WILL BECOME VERY HAUGHTY



We decreed in the Book for the tribe of Israel: "You will twice cause corruption on Earth and you will reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. When the promised first time came, We sent against you servants of Ours possessing great force, and they ransacked your houses, rampaging right through them. It was a promise that was fulfilled. Then once again We gave you the upper hand over them, supplied you with more wealth and children, and made you the most numerous group." (Qur'an, 17:4-6)



As these verses reveal, the Children of Israel were to cause two corruptions over the world. After the first one, during which they adopted a very high level of haughtiness, Allah sent a powerful army against them. Indeed, when the Jews killed Prophet Yahya (as) and set a trap to kill Prophet 'Isa (as) ("reaching to a degree of great haughtiness"), they were exiled shortly afterwards from Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 and wandered all over the world.


When that verse was revealed to the Prophet (saas), the Jews were living under very difficult conditions in various countries and had no state of their own. Yet, Allah told the Children of Israel that one day they would recover their strength. At that time, however, there seemed to be almost no chance that this would really happen. Many centuries later, however, the Jews returned to Palestine and established the State of Israel in 1948. Today, Israel possesses military and political power and keeps the Middle East in great turmoil because of its Zionist ideology and harsh treatment of Palestinian Muslims and Christians.


This is a sign of the Children of Israel's second "corruption." However, this wicked behaviour clearly does not apply to the entire Jewish people, among whom there are many individuals of good conscience and common sense who do not agree with Israel's Zionist and anti-Arab policies.


In this and other verses, we notice that almost no one could believe that such things would ever come about. But Allah willed their fulfilment, and thereby provided believers with more proof that the Qur'an is a miraculous book revealed by Him for their benefit.



THE EXPLORATION OF SPACE


Humanity's exploration of space was accelerated with the Soviet satellite Sputnik on 4 October 1957, which carried aloft the first man to ever leave Earth's atmosphere: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. On 20 July 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human being ever to set foot on the Moon.


In fact, the Qur'an revealed that such developments and achievements would one day be realised. For instance, Allah draws our attention to this in the following verse:



O company of jinn and human beings. If you are able to pierce through the confines of the heavens and Earth, pierce through them. You will not pierce through, except with a clear authority. (Qur'an, 55:33)



The Arabic word sultan, translated here as "a clear authority," has other meanings as well: force, power, sovereignty, dominion, law, path, permission, give leave, justify, and proof.


Careful examination reveals that the above verse emphasizes that humanity will be able to move into the depths of Earth and sky, but only with a superior power. In all likelihood, this superior power is the superior technology employed in the twentieth century, for it enabled scientists to achieve this great feat.





THE VOYAGE TO THE MOON



And [I swear by] the moon when it is full, you will mount up stage by stage! What is the matter with them, that they have no faith? (Qur'an, 84:18-20)



After referring to the Moon, the above verses then say that people will mount up stage by stage. The term tarkabunna comes from the verb rakiba, (to mount, walk on a path, follow, embark upon, set about, participate, or rule). In the light of these meanings, it is very likely that the expression "you will mount up stage by stage" refers to a vehicle to be boarded.


Indeed, the astronauts' spacecraft pass through each layer of the atmosphere one by one, and then begin to pass through the Moon's gravitational field. Thus, the Moon is reached by moving through individual layers. In addition, the swearing by the Moon in Surat al-Inshiqaq 18 further strengthens this emphasis, meaning that the verse may well be a sign that humanity will travel to the Moon. (Allah knows best.)



MODERN MEANS OF TRANSPORT



And horses, mules, and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. (Qur'an, 16:8)



The above verse indicates that in addition to the animals mentioned here, people will have various unknown (to them) means of transport. The following verse points to the fact that there will be such mass modes of transport as ships:



A Sign for them is that We carried their families in the laden ship. And We have created for them the like of it, in which they sail. (Qur'an, 36:41-42)




PLANE TECHNOLOGY



And to Sulayman We gave the fiercely blowing wind, speeding at his command toward the land that We had blessed. And We had full knowledge of everything. (Qur'an, 21:81)



As the above verse relates, Allah placed the wind under Prophet Sulayman's (as) command and allowed him to use it as a vehicle. There is a strong possibility of an indication here that, as in Prophet Sulayman's (as) time, wind energy will also be used in the technology of the future.



And We gave Sulayman power over the wind-a month's journey in the morning and a month in the afternoon... (Qur'an, 34:12)



The expression "a month's journey in the morning and a month in the afternoon" may be drawing attention to the fact that Prophet Sulayman (as) moved rapidly between different regions perhaps by using a technology similar to an airplane, or developed wind-powered vehicles that could cover long distances quickly. (Allah knows best.) There is thus a strong possibility that these verses point to modern airplane technology.



IMAGE TRANSMISSION



He who possessed knowledge of the Book said: "I will bring it [the Queen of Saba's throne] to you before your glance returns to you." And when he [Sulayman] saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said: "This is part of my Lord's favour, to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude." (Qur'an, 27:40)






[He is] the Originator of the heavens and earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, “Be!” and it is.
(Qur’an, 2:117)



"He who possessed knowledge of the Book" told Prophet Sulayman (as) that he could bring the Queen of Saba's throne to him very quickly. This is a possible reference to the transmission of images with present-day advanced technology. Another verse on the subject reads:



A demon of the jinn said: "I will bring it to you before you get up from your seat. I am strong and trustworthy enough to do it." (Qur'an, 27:39)



In our day, text, pictures, and films can be sent anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet and advances in computer technology. For instance, carrying the Queen's throne to Prophet Sulayman's (as) court very quickly may well refer to the fact that it will be possible to send a three-dimensional picture or image in the blink of an eye over the Internet.

According to scientists, the teleportation of atoms and molecules, as well as larger bodies, may become possible in the near future. By this method, the item's material characteristics are removed from one location and transferred in every detail and atomic sequence to another location, where they are reconstructed. If this technology becomes operational one day, time and space will no longer represent an obstacle to travel and objects will be able to be transported anywhere in a single moment without traversing any physical distance.184


In 1998, physicists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) working with two European groups transported a photon. The scientists formed a copy of the photon by reading its atomic structure and then transmitted that information a distance of 1 metre. In another recent teleportation experiment, Ping Koy Lam of the Australian National University (ANU) and other researchers transmitted a laser ray a short distance.185


Indeed, according to a CNN report on 17 July 2002, a group of physicists from the National Australian University in Canberra split a laser ray and "transmitted" it several metres. Ping Koy Lam, the team's head, stated that they had not yet succeeded in transmitting matter in its atomic state, but that such a thing was not impossible and may become a reality in the future.


According to a study published in the science journal Nature, Eugene Polzik of Denmark's University of Aarhus, and his colleagues performed successful experiments on a large number of atoms, using laser rays and quantum physics.186 In his analyses of teleportation's potential, published in the journal Scientific American, Australian physicist Anton Zeilinger states that far more complex systems could be teleported without violating the laws of physics.187


As the Qur'an reveals in "We will show them Our Signs on the horizon and within themselves until it is clear to them that it is the truth" (Qur'an, 41:53), these scientific advances may represent a part of the technologies indicated in the Qur'an, all of which reveal its miraculous aspects.



SMELL TRANSFERENCE



He [Yusuf] said: "No blame at all will fall on you. Today you have forgiveness from Allah. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. Go with this shirt of mine and cast it on my father's face, and he will see again. Then come to me with all your families." And when the caravan went on its way, their father said: "I can smell Yusuf's scent! You probably think I have become senile." (Qur'an, 12:92-94)



Today, scientists state that teleporting atoms and scent molecules may be possible in the near future. In Surah Yusuf 94, Prophet Yusuf's (as) father says that he can smell his son's scent. Scientists also say that it will soon be possible to send scents in the same way as pictures and three-dimensional images are sent. Therefore, this verse might be a sign of an advanced technology developing from the current research into transmitting scent.


Like our other sense perceptions, smell forms in the brain. For example, a lemon peel's molecules stimulate the nose's scent receptors, which then transmit them in the form of electrical signals to the brain for analysis. Therefore, when the scent's signal is artificially formed in another form, the scent can be perceived in the same form. Indeed, the "electronic nose" is one of the research areas showing that this may well be possible in the near future.


A human being's scent perception system makes it possible for a trained nose to name and distinguish some 10,000 odours. Professionals in the perfumery business who have received special chemical training are able to sniff a scent that contains 100 different odorants and then list the ingredients.188 This superior creation in the human nose has encouraged many scientists to design similar equipment. Efforts are underway in various research and development centres to replicate this human scent perception system. The models developed on this basis are termed "the electronic nose."


The human nose's receptors are composed of proteins; those in its electronic counterpart are composed of a series of chemical receptors. Each receptor is designed to detect different odours; the more their distinguishing capacities are enhanced, the more difficult production becomes and the greater the cost. The signals collected by the sensors are turned into binary codes, by means of electronic systems, and then sent to a computer. The electronic systems can be thought of as imitating the nerve cells responsible for scent detection, and the computer as the brain. The computer is programmed to analyse the data and thus interprets the binary code signals.


Electronic noses are currently being used in the food, perfumery, and chemical industries, as well as in medicine. Universities and international organizations are also providing major support for such projects. Nevertheless, as stated by Julian W. Gardner of the University of Warwick, researchers are still in the early stages of this technology.189



THE USE OF ELECTRICITY



And We made a fount of molten copper flow out for him. (Qur'an, 34:12)



One of Allah's great blessings to Prophet Sulayman (as) was "a fount of molten copper." This can be understood in several senses. By the use of melted copper, it may be referring to the existence, at his time, of an advanced technology that employed electricity. We know that copper is one of the best metals for conducting electricity and heat, and thus constitutes the basis of the electrical industry, which uses much of the copper produced in the world. The expression "flow out" may indicate that electricity can be used in many fields. (Allah knows best.)



ARTESIAN WELLS



We divided them up into twelve tribes-communities. We revealed to Musa, when his people asked him for water: "Strike the rock with your staff." Twelve fountains flowed out from it, and all the people knew their drinking place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down manna and quails to them: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you." They did not wrong Us; rather, they wronged themselves. (Qur'an, 7:160)




A closed artesian aquifer is confined by an overlying impermeable body of rock, which prevents any water from filtering down into the aquifer. Instead, water enters the tilted aquifer layer through a recharge area, where the aquifer rock is exposed at higher elevations. The flow in an artesian aquifer resembles water flowing through a J-shaped tube. Water added on the tube’s long side provides enough pressure to drive the water upward on the tube’s shorter side.


The above verse describes how Prophet Musa's (as) people asked him for water and how he provided places where each tribe could drink. Clearly, his people were suffering from a shortage of water. Such shortages still exist, for more than 1 billion people today lack access to clean water, and 2.4 billion still live without improved sanitation. According to projected estimates, by 2025 about 5 billion people will not have access to sufficient amounts of water.190 Every year, some 12 million people die from water scarcity; 3 million of whom are children who die from waterborne diseases.191


Today, 31 countries, comprising 8 percent of the world's population, face chronic freshwater shortages. By 2025, this number is expected to rise to 48 countries.192 According to UN predictions, renewable freshwater will become an even more limited resource by 2025, and the number of 131 million people experiencing water problems will rise to either 817 million (according to low population growth projections) or 1.079 billion (according to high population growth projections).193


Groundwater, the largest source of fresh water on Earth, represents more than 90 percent of the readily available freshwater reserves194 and is therefore of vital importance to meeting the water needs of up to 2 billion people.195 It constitutes the primary source of water for up to 50 percent of the American population, a figure that rises to 95 percent in rural areas.196 Groundwater is also the safest and most reliable source of fresh water. At the same time, this water can be used to produce geothermal energy and save energy by using heat pumps.


When the water sucked up from the soil meets an impermeable underground layer, it collects there and forms a water source. This water is then brought to the surface by the artesian method. Artesian springs are formed by sedimentary rocks that can store underground water.


The fact that artesian wells are drilled in rocky areas runs parallel to the description in the Qur'an. Given that Allah commanded Prophet Musa (as) to strike the rock, Surat al-A`raf 160 may be indicating this method. (Allah knows best.) The verb idrib, translated as "strike," can also mean "to raise, to open." Thus, this verse may be describing a water source being opened by the raising of the rock. As a result, pressurized water may have emerged, as described in the verb inbajasat (to pour out, flow freely, bubble up, flow), just as happens with artesian wells. If sufficient pressure forms, water can continue to flow to the surface without the need for a pump.


Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and sends down water from the sky and by it brings forth fruits as provision for you… (Qur’an, 14:32)


It is particularly striking that current solutions for dealing with water scarcity use underground water resources. In fact, one of the most effective methods of doing so is the artesian well. In other words, we might be copying Prophet Musa's (as) example of striking or lifting the rock without even knowing it. Surat al-A`raf 160 may therefore be a reference to artesian wells, the first of which was opened in 1126 in the French region of Artois. (Allah knows best.)



THE ARMY-ANT IN TECHNOLOGY



Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said: "Ants! Enter your dwellings, so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly." (Qur'an, 27:18)



The "Valley of the Ants" refers to a special place and special ants. In addition, the fact that Prophet Sulayman (as) could hear the ants talking among themselves may contain striking references to future developments in computer technology. The present-day term "Silicon Valley" refers to the centre of the world of technology. It is most significant that a "valley of the ants" appears in the account of Prophet Sulayman's (as) life. Allah may be drawing our attention to the advanced technology of the future.


Furthermore, ants and other insect species are widely used in advanced technology as models in robot projects and are intended to serve in a wide range of areas, from the defence industry to technology. The verse may also be referring to these developments.


Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots


The best known project using ants as a model are the "Army-Ant Robot" projects being carried out independently in several countries. One study being carried out by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University seeks to develop small, inexpensive, and simple physically identical robots that can be used as a robot army. Project officials explain these robots' functionality in the following terms: "The way they behave as a group, in a coordinated manner, perform a series of physical actions, and take joint decisions." These robot armies' mechanical and electrical designs have been based on the behaviour of an ant community. They are called the "army-ant" robots because of their similarities to their insect counterparts.


The "army-ant" robot system was originally designed as a "material-carrying system." According to this scenario, several small robots would be charged with jointly lifting and carrying objects. It was later decided that they could be used for other tasks. One report describes other tasks to which they might be assigned in the future:



Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic "swarms," mining (including material removal and search-and-rescue), mine sweeping (both land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface exploration and excavation.197



In a report by Israel A. Wagner, an expert on ant robot technology, the ant robot projects were described in these terms:



Ant-robots are simple physical or virtual creatures designed to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. They are assumed to have very limited resources of energy, sensing and computing, and to communicate via traces left in the workspace or on the ground, like many insects naturally do…


The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either a central controller who sends orders to the agents, or by an a-priori agreement on a certain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents, eventually leads to a completion of the given mission. A third way, used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of the cooperation. The specific application that we address is covering, which is also known as exploring or searching. This variety of names hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine field.198



As can be seen in these examples, an ant's social lifestyle forms the basis of many projects, and the various ant-based robot technologies are providing benefits for human beings. That is why it is so important that ants and their valley are referred to in the Qur'anic account of Prophet Sulayman's (as) life. The term "ants" in the verse may refer to an army consisting of robots, future developments in robot technology, and how robots will play an important role in human life. For example, they may perform many arduous tasks and thus make people's lives more comfortable. (Allah knows best.)



ATOMIC ENERGY AND FISSION



Allah splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from the dead, and produces the dead out of the living. That is Allah, so how are you misguided? (Qur'an, 6:95)



The terms "seed" (al-habb) and "kernel" (an-nawa) in the above verse may indicate the splitting of the atom. Indeed, the dictionary meanings of an-nawa include "nucleus, centre, atomic nucleus." Furthermore, the description of bringing forth the living from the dead can be interpreted as Allah creating matter from dead energy. Producing the dead out of the living may refer to energy (dead) emerging from matter (living), since the atom is in motion. (Allah knows best.) That is because as well as "living," al-hayy can also mean "active, energetic." With its meaning of "non-living," al-mayyit, translated above as "dead," may very probably refer to energy.


Scientists define energy as the capacity for doing work. Matter, the material that comprises all things on Earth and in the universe, consists of atoms and molecules that can be seen to be in motion under an electron microscope. In the early twentieth century, Albert Einstein (d. 1955) theorised that matter could be converted into energy, suggesting that the two were inter-related at the atomic level.199 This may be the bringing forth of the dead from the living, as described above, or, in other words, obtaining energy from matter, which is in motion at the atomic level. In addition, yukhriju, translated as "bringing forth," also means "bringing out, emitting" (as in the case of electrical waves). Therefore, the terms in this verse may be indicating the form of energy obtained from the atom. (Allah knows best.)



Today, atomic nucleus can be split into smaller nuclei by means of nuclear fission.


Scientists can now split the atom by dividing its nucleus. Taking Einstein's theories as their starting point, they obtained energy from matter in the 1940s by means of nuclear fission, the process of splitting the atomic nucleus. The verb faliqu in Surat al-An`am 95, translated as "to split," may be a reference to fission's dictionary meaning: the process of splitting (the atom's nucleus). When this process takes place, enormous amounts of energy are released.


The words in Surat al-An`am 95 are very wise in terms of their meanings. The phenomena described in this verse bear a very close resemblance to the splitting of the atom's nucleus in order to obtain atomic energy. The verse may therefore be a reference to nuclear fission, which was only made possible by twentieth-century technology. (Allah knows best.)
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Uthman
02-01-2005, 09:24 PM
Subhanallah! If this will not make people believe then what will?
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Ansar Al-'Adl
03-09-2005, 01:51 AM
Information about the unknown the Prophet (saas) revealed in the hadiths




O my people! You are about to conquer Egypt. Keep the welfare of the conquered people in view. You shall have to abide by the divine covenant that their life and property and their honour should be protected.212




In the hadiths, the Prophet (saas) gave the good news that Egypt would be conquered. At the time when he communicated that message, Egypt was under the dominion of the Byzantines. Furthermore, the Muslims had yet to attain any great power. Yet, these words of the Prophet (saas) came true, and, not long after his death, the Muslim armies under the command of Amr bin al-As conquered Egypt in 641 A.D., during the caliphate of Omar. That is one example of the Prophet (saas) accurately knowing the unknown.




Kisra (Khosrau, King of Persia) will die; there will be no Kisra after him, and Qaisar (Caesar, King of Rome) will die; there would be no Qaisar after him, but, by One in Whose Hand is my life, you will spend their treasures in the cause of Allah.213




The word "kisra" that appears in this hadith was a name that used to be used for kings of Persia. The title "caesar" was used for the Roman Empire. The Prophet (saas) gave the good news that the Muslims would come into possession of the treasures of both these rulers.


What needs to be stressed here is that when the Prophet (saas) related that fact, the Muslims still lacked the necessary economic, military and political strength to effect such a great conquest. Furthermore, at that time, the Persian and Byzantine Empires were the two most powerful states in the Middle East. For that reason, such an event was out of the question, at the time when the Prophet (saas) delivered those tidings. However, things actually happened as the Prophet (saas) predicted they would. Iran was conquered during the time of Omar and all its goods seized. The kingdom of the Persian "kisra" thus came to an end.


The death of "caesar" and the reversion of his treasuries to the Muslims came about with the capture of important Roman centers, particularly during the time of the Muslim caliphs. Starting with the time of Abubakr, important centers under the dominion of "caesar" such as Jordan, Palestine, Damascus, Jerusalem, Syria and Egypt were conquered. The capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 meant the collapse of the Roman Empire, and the end of the title of "caesar."214





Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror's capture of Constantinople and the collapse of the Roman Empire meant the end of the title of Caesar.



In his book The Venture of Islam, the American researcher M. G. S. Hodgson describes the Muslim capture of territories belonging to Byzantium and the Persian Empire:


"Muhammad, an Arab of Mecca, sets up a religiously organized society in Medina, and expands it over much of the Arabian peninsula to march with and even locally replace Sasanian and Roman power."215


In this way, these important conquests, that seemed to be totally impossible at the time of the Prophet (saas) both politically and economically, actually happened, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (saas) by Allah.




Great Allah sent many tribulations to Kisra by his son Shireveyh, who killed him in this month, on this night at this hour!216


In the near future, my religion and its sovereignty will reach Kisra's throne.217




The Prophet (saas) decided to invite the rulers to turn to Islam, and sent one of his companions, Abdullah bin Hudhaafah, to the Kisra, the Persian King, as an ambassador. The Persian Kisra, swollen with pride, rejected the Prophet (saas)'s offer. He even sent two ambassadors of his own to the Prophet (saas), telling the Muslims to submit to him. The Prophet (saas) first invited these two ambassadors to accept Islam. Then he called them into his presence the next day to learn their decision.218


The next day, the Prophet (saas) told the two ambassadors what Allah had revealed to him:


"Great Allah sent many tribulations to Kisra by his son Shireveyh, who killed him in this month, on this night, at this hour!"219


He also personally told them:


"Tell him that my religion and my empire will reach far beyond the kingdom of Kisra; and say to him from me: Enter Islam, and I will confirm you in what you have, and I will appoint you king over the people of Yemen."220


The ambassadors then returned to Yemen and described what had gone on. Badhan said:


"We will see what happens next. If what he said is true, then he is the prophet whom Allah has sent."221


He then turned to his men and asked what they thought of him. The ambassadors had been greatly impressed by the Prophet (saas), and said:


"We never saw a ruler more majestic, more fearless and less guarded than him. He walked humbly amongst the people."


Badhan waited for a while to see whether the Prophet (saas)'s words about the ruler would come true or not. In that way, he said, he could be sure that Muhammad (saas) was Allah's messenger. A short while later, a letter reached Badhan from the ruler's son, Shireveyh: "I killed Kisra. When this letter reaches you, take the oath of the people in my name. Regarding what Kisra wrote to you, wait and do nothing until a new command from me."222


When Badhan and his men worked it out, they realized that all this had happened just as the Prophet (saas) had said it would.223 Badhan came to believe after that great miracle, and accepted Islam. He was followed by the Yemeni Abna.224 Badhan became the first governor appointed by the Prophet (saas), and the first Persian governor to be a Muslim.225


It is a historically documented fact that in 628 the Prophet (saas) sent a letter of invitation to the Persian King Kisra, and that he was killed by his son that same year.226




The Prophet (saas)'s hadiths regarding the signs of the end times


Many details of what the Prophet (saas) said would happen before the last days have reached us. These events are happening one by one in our own time, proving to be yet another miracle of the Prophet (saas). These events, that are happening 1,400 years after the Prophet Muhammad (saas), were explained in great detail, as if he had witnessed them himself.






These are the Prophet (saas)'s prophecies regarding the signs of the end times and the last day, taken from the hadiths:




The Last Hour will not come unless there is much bloodshed.227






Near the establishment of the Hour there will be much Al-Harj, and Al-Harj means killing…228


The day of Judgment will not come until people openly deny Allah.229


Great cities will be ruined, and it will be as if they had not existed the day before.230




Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor.231











(Left)Acts of violence and terror, one of the signs of the final times, are continuing with increasing violence all over the world.The parallel between the warning issued by the Prophet (saas) in the past and the events being experienced today reveals to us one of the miracles of this blessed man. (Right) The wars in many countries of the world, in which innocent people are killed for no reason, are another of the portents of Doomsday related by the Prophet (saas).



People will indulge in homosexuality and lesbianism.232

There will be prevalence of open illegal intercourse.233




The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until murders will increase.234




Pity poor Taliqan (a region in Afghanistan) that at that place are treasures of Allah, but these are not of gold and silver but consist of people who have recognised Allah as they should have.235




There is an indication in the hadith that Afghanistan will be occupied during the end times. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan took place in 1979, or 1400 according to the Hijri calendar. In other words, it coincided with the start of the fourteenth century under the Hijri calendar.





These pictures show examples of the oppression suffered by the people of Afghanistan during the invasion by the Russian army in 1979.



It (Euphrates) will uncover a mountain of gold (under it).236




Soon the river "Euphrates" will disclose the treasure (the mountain) of gold, so whoever will be present at that time should not take anything of it.237





The Reichstag (German Parliament) after its destruction in 1945. The picture below shows the same building in 1999, after reconstruction. Many buildings are being restored and brought back to their former appearance in the same way.



The rebuilding of the ruined places in the world, and the ruination of constructed places are signs and portents of Doomsday.238



There are two signs of our Mahdi; ...and those signs are that moon will eclipse in the first night of its fixed nights of eclipse and sun will be eclipsed in the middle of the fixed days for its eclipse, during the month of Ramadhan.239


There will be two eclipses of the sun in Ramadan before the Mahdi emerges.240

There will be two eclipses of the Moon in Ramadan...241






The common points emerging from the above three hadiths are:


1. There will be solar and lunar eclipses during the month of Ramadan.


2. These will be spaced about 14-15 days apart.


3. The eclipses will be repeated twice.


In line with those calculations, there was a lunar eclipse in 1981 (Hijri 1401), on the 15th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 29th day of the month. There was a "second" lunar eclipse in 1982 (Hijri 1402) on the 14th day of Ramadan, and a solar eclipse on the 28th day of the month.




It is also particularly significant that in that particular instance, there was a full lunar eclipse in the middle of the month of Ramadan, a most striking prophecy.







Before he comes, a comet spreading light will come from the East.242


The birth of that star will follow the eclipse of the Sun and Moon.243


A tailed star will be born from the East and spread its light. Its daily direction will be from East to West.244




- In 1986 (Hijri 1406), in other words at the start of the 14th century, Halley's comet passed by the Earth. The comet is a bright, shining star.


- It travels from East to West


This happened after the lunar and solar eclipses of 1981 and 1982 (1401-1402)




People will go on the hajj with no imam at their head. When they descend to Mina, the tribes will savage each other like dogs and there will be great wars. To such an extent that feet will be covered in a lake of blood.245






A fire will appear in the sky from the East and a redness will cover the sky for three or seven days in a row.246


A fire will enfold you. That fire is currently extinguished in the valley called Berehut. People will be enfolded in that fire with terrible suffering. That fire will burn and destroy people and belongings. For eight days it will rage over the world like wind and cloud. The heat of night will be fiercer than that of day. That fire will stretch from the heads of man to the highest heavens, and there will be a terrible noise like thunder between the earth and sky, he said.247




- The burning oil in Kuwait led to the deaths of people and animals. According to experts, half a million tons of oil went up into the atmosphere as smoke. Every day, more than 10,000 tons of soot, sulphur, carbon-dioxide and large quantities of hydrocarbons with their carcinogenic properties hang suspended over the Gulf. It is not just the Gulf, but the world itself that is burning.248


- Two wells that were set alight produced as much oil as Turkey does in one day, and the smoke from them can be seen from Saudi Arabia, 55 kilometres away.249


- Continuing news of disaster from the Gulf: Hundreds of oil wells set alight in Kuwait are still burning fiercely. Experts say it will be "exceedingly difficult to put those fires out," and it is said that the fires will affect a wide area from Turkey to India for the next 10 years.


The fire and smoke coming from the wells constantly pollute the atmosphere. Daytime resembles night in Kuwait. The brown smoke that rises together with the flames remind one of the sky as the autumn turns into winter … It will take at least a century for Kuwait to be completely habitable again. The smoke that rises with the flames is visible from miles away, totally blocking out the sky and making the country unfit to live in. The wealthy are abandoning Kuwait.250






He(The Mahdi) will not come until there is a portent from the Sun.251






The solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 was the last of the century. During this eclipse, the likes of which take place only every 400 years, the sun, the moon and the world align. It was the first time that so many people had been able to watch and study an eclipse for so long a duration. Below are some newspaper headlines regarding the phenomenon. This can be interpreted as the "portent from the Sun" referred to in the hadith. (Allah knows best, of course).


Before the Hour comes, there will be a tribulation like patches of dark night...252


The word "tribulation (fitna)" implies anything that turns peoples' reason and hearts away from the true path, or war, incitement, chaos, disorder and conflict. The tribulation in the hadith will leave smoke and dust behind it, we learn.




Furthermore, the way that tribulation is described as "darkness" in the hadith, can be seen as an indication that its origins are unclear, that it is unexpected. Looking at it from that regard, it is probable that the hadith is referring to the world's worst terrorist attack, on the cities of New York and Washington in the United States on September 11, 2001.




The inhabitants of Egypt and Sham would kill their ruler and his commands…253

The people of Sham will take prisoner the tribes of Egypt.254


Today, the states in the region in question include Israel. That is why the hadith could be pointing to the war between the State of Israel and Egypt, and the invasion of Egyptian territory.






The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until ... earthquakes will be very frequent.255


There are two great events before the day of Judgment ... and then years of earthquakes.256








*

The signs of the end times are coming one after the other




In the hadiths that have come down to us from the Prophet (saas), news is given concerning the end times and the Golden Age of Islam. When we compare these signs with the things that are taking place in our time, we can see many indications that we are living through the End Times and which also herald the arrival of the Golden Age of Islam.


We must make it clear that some of the signs pointed to in the hadiths that we have been considering in this chapter may have been witnessed to one extent or another throughout the 1,400-year history of Islam, in some part of the world. That does not mean, however, that those were the end times. Because, in order to describe one period as the End Times, all the signs of the last day need to happen at the same time, one after the other. That situation is referred to in a hadith:


"Signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut."257


In the hadiths, the beginning of the End Times is described as when discord grows, and war and conflict are on the increase, when there is chaos and moral degeneration rears its head and people turn away from the morality of religion. At the time in question, natural disasters will occur all over the world, poverty will reach unseen levels, there will be a large increase in the crime rate, and murder and brutality everywhere. Yet this will be only the first stage. During the second phase, Allah will rescue mankind from this chaos and replace it with a blessed existence full of plenty, peace and security.








The Hour will not be established … till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings.258




The Last Day will not be established until... time will pass quickly.259




Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.260




The Last hour will not come before time contracts, a year being like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of a fire.261






The century we are living in has seen the capability of constructing supersonic aeroplanes, and the ability, thanks to trains and other improvements in means of transport, to make journeys in a few minutes that would once have taken months, and in great comfort. What this hadith indicates is also taking place in this manner.


Communication between continents would take weeks hundreds of years ago, but is now a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet and improvements in technology. Goods that used to take weeks to arrive, following a long journey, can now be delivered at a moment's notice. Billions of books can now be printed in the time it would take to write a single letter just a few centuries ago. As well, other technological developments have meant that we no longer waste large amounts of time on cooking, cleaning and child minding.


One could go on citing similar examples. Yet, the important thing here, of course, is that the signs of Doomsday, as set out by the Prophet (saas) in the seventh century, are now happening one by one.




The last hour will not come before the end of a man's whip speak to him.262




The whip is known as a tool used in earlier times when riding or guiding pack animals such as horses or camels. When we look closely at this hadith, we can see that the Prophet (saas) is making a comparison. Let us ask people living at the present time a question, "Is there a modern implement that talks and resembles a whip?"


The most logical reply to that question is the mobile telephone, with its long antenna, or similar communications equipment. If we bear in mind that mobile or satellite phones are comparatively recent developments, then the wisdom behind the Prophet (saas)'s description of 1,400 years ago is even clearer. That is just one more indication that we are living through the period prior to Doomsday.






There will be no Judgment ... until a person's own voice speaks to him.263




The message in the hadith is quite clear: A person's hearing the sound of his own voice is another sign of the end times. There is no doubt that in order to hear the sound of one's one voice, one first needs to record it, and then to play it back to himself. Sound recording and reproduction equipment are products of the twentieth century. That development marked a scientific turning point, and led to the birth of the communications and media industries. Sound reproduction is nearly perfect now, thanks to computer and laser technologies.








In short, the electronic gadgets of our time, microphones and speakers, allow us to record sound and play it back, and are also manifestations of that related in the above hadith.




The sign of that day: A hand will be extended from the sky, and people will look and see it.264




The sign of that day is a hand extended in the sky and people stopping to look at it.265




The Arabic word for "hand" in the above hadiths is "yed." As well as "hand," the dictionary also provides such meanings as "power, force, strength, means etc." It is probable that in these hadiths the word is used in those senses.






The idea of a "power, force, strength or means" extending from the sky and looked upon by people might not make much sense in the context of past ages. Yet, it sheds considerable light on equipment such as the television, camera and computer, which have become such an indispensable parts of modern life, as described in the hadiths. In other words, the "hand" mentioned in these hadiths is used in the sense of force. It clearly points to pictures coming down from the sky in waves, in other words television broadcasting.






People will reap 700 measures of wheat for every one they sow … People will throw down a few handfuls of seeds and reap 700 handfuls … Although much rain will fall, none will be wasted.266








The Prophet (saas) provided many other details of the technological advances that will accompany the end times. Attention is also drawn in the hadiths to the move towards modern agricultural techniques, the development of new production methods, seed improvement research, and increasing production as a result of better use of rainwater by building new dams and artificial lakes.


At that time ... life spans will grow longer.267




Fourteen centuries have passed since the Prophet (saas) brought forward that news. The average expected lifespan is much higher now than it has been at any other time in recent history. A great difference can be seen even between the figures for the beginning and the end of the twentieth century. For instance, it is estimated that a baby born in 1995 will live some 35 years longer than one born around 1900. Another striking example on the same subject is that in the recent past very few people lived to be 100, whereas now it is a great deal more common.




*

*



****






208. Warren Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford University Press, 1997, p. 287-299
209. Warren Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford University Press, 1997, p. 287-299
210. Elmalili Hamdi Muhammad Yazir, Kuran-ý Kerim Tefsiri (Qur'an Tafsir)
211. Imam Taberi, Taberi Tefsiri, (Tafsir at-Tabari)
212. Al Hafiz ibn al-Dayba al-Shaybani,Taysir al-'usul ilaJami al-'usul, Volume 15, p. 420
213. http://lists.isb.sdnpk.org/pipermai...ril/000341.html
214. http://www.mustakiim.de/Islam/IslamTarihi/bilgi5.htm
215. M.G.S. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, Volume1, Ýz Publications, Istanbul, 1993, p.61
216. http://www.najaco.com/islam/compani...ophet/sahmi.htm
217. Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum,(The Sealed Nectar), http://www.quraan.com/Raheeq/32.asp
218. http://cyberistan.org/islamic/chosroes.html
219. http://www.najaco.com/islam/compani...ophet/sahmi.htm
220. hhttp://cyberistan.org/islamic/chosroes.html
221. http://cyberistan.org/islamic/chosroes.html
222. http://www.najaco.com/islam/compani...ophet/sahmi.htm
223. Salih Suruç, Kainatýn Efendisi Peygamberimizin Hayatý, (The Life of the Prophet (saas)), Yeni Asya Publications, Istanbul, 1998, p.225
224. http://cyberistan.org/islamic/chosroes.html
225. Salih Suruç, Kainatýn Efendisi Peygamberimizin Hayatý, (The Life of the Prophet (saas)) Yeni Asya Publications, Istanbul, 1998, p.225
226. H.G. Wells, A Short History of the World, http://www.bartleby.com/86/41.html; http://www.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/25555.html
227. Sahih Bukhari Hadith
228. Sahih Bukhari Hadith
229. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 27
230. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p.38
231. Tirmidhi Hadith
232. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzul Ummaal
233. Sahih Bukhari Hadith
234. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2 no: 146
235. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p.59
236. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 235
237. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 235
238. Ismail Mutlu, Kýyamet Alametleri, (Signs of the Last Day), Mutlu Publications, Istanbul, 1999, p.138
239. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p.47
240. Imam Sarani, Olum-Kýyamet- Ahiret ve Ahir Zaman Alametleri, (Death, Judgment and Resurrection), Bedir Publications, Ýstanbul, p.440
241. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 54
242. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 54
243. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p.32
244. Imam Rabani, Mektubat-ý Rabbani, (Maktubat Imam Rabbani) Translated by Abdulkadir Akcicek, Istanbul Daðýtým A.S., Istanbul, 2/1170
245. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p.35
246. Ýsmail Mutlu, Kýyamet Alametleri, (The Signs of the Last Day) Mutlu Publications, Ýstanbul, 1999, s.166
247. Ýmam Sarani, Ölüm-Kýyamet- Ahiret ve Ahir Zaman Alametleri, (Death, Judgment and Resurrection), Bedir Publications, Ýstanbul, p.461
248. Necati Özfatura, Kurtlar Sofrasýnda Ortadoðu, Adým Publications, 1983, p.175
249. Hurriyet Newspaper, 23 January 1991
250. Necati Özfatura, Kurtlar Sofrasýnda Ortadoðu, Adým Publications, 1983, p.175
251. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 47
252. Sunan Abu Dawud Hadith
253. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 49
254. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 49
255. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 17, Number 146
256. Ahmad Diya'al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, 187/2
257. Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 1447
258. Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Number 237
259. Sahih Bukhari Hadith
260. Sahih Musnad Hadith
261. Tirmidhi Hadith
262. Tirmidhi, Number1450
263. Al- Qurtubi al-Tezkirah
264. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 53
265. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 69
266. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 43
267. Ibn Hajar Haytahami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi'alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, p. 43
Reply

Khattab
03-09-2005, 02:25 PM
A fire will enfold you. That fire is currently extinguished in the valley called Berehut. People will be enfolded in that fire with terrible suffering. That fire will burn and destroy people and belongings. For eight days it will rage over the world like wind and cloud. The heat of night will be fiercer than that of day. That fire will stretch from the heads of man to the highest heavens, and there will be a terrible noise like thunder between the earth and sky, he said.247

I beleive this is referring to the oil feels that caught fire in Kuwait as brother Ansar stated. I found this article about it by someone who was there (non muslim) and he descirbes that terrible noise as the Prophet Muhammed (SWH) indicated would be the case.

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Oilfield firefighter Paul (Red) Adair, who was instrumental in capping Kuwaiti oil wells set ablaze by Iraq and was immortalized by John Wayne in a movie based on his life, has died. He was 89. Adair, who boasted that none of his employees ever suffered a serious injury fighting hundreds of dangerous well fires around the world, died Saturday of natural causes at a Houston hospital, said his daughter, Robyn.

Adair revolutionized the science of snuffing and controlling wells spewing high-pressure jets of oil and gas, using explosives, water cannons, bulldozers, drilling mud and concrete.

"It scares you: all the noise, the rattling, the shaking," Adair once said, describing a blowout. "But the look on everybody's face when you're finished and packing, it's the best smile in the world. And there's nobody hurt, and the well's under control."

His daring and his reputation for having never met a blowout he couldn't cap earned him the nickname Hellfighter. That inspired the title of the 1968 John Wayne movie based on his life, The Hellfighters.

"That's one of the best honours in the world: to have the Duke play you in a movie," Adair said.

He founded Red Adair Co. Inc. in 1959 and is credited with battling more than 2,000 land and offshore oil well fires, including the hundreds of wells set afire when the Iraqi army retreated from Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

He spent his 76th birthday in Kuwait clad in his trademark red overalls, swinging valves into place atop out-of-control wells.

"Retire? I don't know what that word means," he said at the time. "As long as a man is able to work and he's productive out there and he feels good -- keep at it. I've got too many of my friends that retired and went home and got on a rocking chair -- and about a year and a half later, I'm always going to the cemetery."

Adair, who never showed fear in life, joked in 1991 that the hereafter would be no different.

"I've done made a deal with the devil," Adair said. "He said he's going to give me an air-conditioned place when I go down there, if I go there, so I won't put all the fires out."

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/London...09/574364.html
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Ansar Al-'Adl
03-09-2005, 06:27 PM
SubhanAllah! Thanks Amir!

This is exactly what I was hoping for. That we could discuss these prophecies and think of what they might mean.
Reply

أحمد
03-09-2005, 07:13 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Ansar Al-'Adl
INTRODUCTION
Another miraculous aspect of the Qur'an is its prediction of future events, all of which have so far been fulfilled. This is one of the proofs that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah. In the following pages, we will dwell on some of these events.

:sl:

Alhamdulillah :brother: , indeed the Quran is the Miracle of all Miracles, and it is itself a proof of itself.

Furthermore, if the Quran has been telling us for the past fourteent hundred years about all these things, its obvious enough that its the Word of Allah anyway. The Quran is beyond any comparison. And not a single person has been abled to produce anything like there-of it. The Quranic Challenge remains un-challenged, even this very day. Refer to Surah al-Baqarah 2: verse 23 and 24 for details, and also Surah al-Kahf 18: verse 1 for more details . . .

:w:
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Khayal
02-10-2007, 07:05 AM
:sl:

JazakAlah!


:w:
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