Mughal

The Science And The Quran (p2)

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/

1) Origin of man according to the quran

Since people believe in allegedly divine religion because they think it answer their questions as regard their origin, their life in this world and where they are going to end up finally, so it is time to see if religion truly answers their questions which they think it really does and that their these questions are very important for them.

My own views are different looking at religion from different perspectives.

1) From the truth perspective no allegedly divine religion can be proven true and that all such religions can be proven false, therefore to believe in falsehood as true makes no sense.


2) From the evolution perspective speculation about the supernatural is merely the start of thought process and so it is natural to be superstitious till you know better as we are all born ignorant and take time to become learned and only as much as we can depending on our individual circumstances or environmental conditions and situations. In this situation we are all as confused as we can be and almost all of us take comfort from superstitious beliefs unless conditioned to disbelief in superstition by way of education that makes us worldly wise.

3) From exploitative perspective I think religion is pure and simple evil at a grand scale. The organised religion is invention of some people in position of power ie masters to exploit and abuse others ie the slaves. People in position of power always used religion to secure their position in society hence they fight tooth and nail to keep religion alive for this reason.

4) From a political struggle perspective, religion is used to organise and mobilise masses to achieve political ends. If ends are good for humanity then there is no harm in such movements but as it is often the case that once you start a struggle in the name of religion the line between religious and secular becomes blurred and causes difficulties of large scale.

5) From a way of life perspective, religion is necessary for humanity in order to live in peace by creating harmony and progressing towards prosperity by organising themselves in this manner.

So depends on the angle you are looking from at religion, it is absolutely good as well as absolutely evil. Moreover, it is hence clear that one way or the other we are all deeply religious regardless we believe in the concept of god or not. Since I am arguing against religion from only and only two perspectives ie truth perspective and exploitation perspective therefore the reader is reminded to keep that in mind to save oneself from confusion. It is in these respects that I question religion�s authenticity and authenticity of whatever religion teaches as regard beliefs and practices and its followers� such beliefs and deeds. For example, is it really true that man came to being the way the allegedly divine scripture tells us? Is it really true that woman came to being the way we are told in religious writings? Is it really true that woman could produce a child without the need of man? Is it really true that human reproduction happens the way we are told in the allegedly divine revelations?

So what is the origin of man? The answer is found in 2/30, 7/11, 15/28, 17/61, 20/115, 38/69 etc. It is very important that one reads these different versions of the story of first man�s creation.

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YUSUFALI: Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."

PICKTHAL: And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.

SHAKIR: And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif, they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know.

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YUSUFALI: Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape;

PICKTHAL: And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered,

SHAKIR: And when your Lord said to the angels: Surely I am going to create a mortal of the essence of black mud fashioned in shape.

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YUSUFALI: "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."

PICKTHAL: So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.

SHAKIR: So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down making obeisance to him.


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YUSUFALI: (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."

PICKTHAL: He said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered!

SHAKIR: He said: I am not such that I should make obeisance to a mortal whom Thou hast created of the essence of black mud fashioned in shape

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YUSUFALI: The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was.

PICKTHAL: Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.

SHAKIR: Surely the likeness of Isa is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.

My comments,

If one has read the story of first man�s creation, one will not fail to notice that this story tells us that god created the first man called Adam by direct intervention. He created him from earth by forming him into shape and then breathed life into him. He then taught him things and placed him on the earth to live his life as we do. Right from the word go it becomes clear that the story is clearly a made up one ie not real, for natural world does not work like that at all. However even if forget about the way the natural world works one has to ask, why god needs earth to create man? Why he needs to bother with moulding the earth into human shape and why does he need to breath life into him, when it is only a matter of saying to him be and he would have become, as the quran says elsewhere? Somebody is making up silly excuses here for some reason or so it seems to me.

If it is important for god to tell us that he used the natural means partly to bring about Adam, it defeats the very notion and purpose of his direct intervention. Either god intervened or he did not. If he did then it would have made more sense if he had explained how it was possible for him as a nonmaterial being to affect the material world. Simply telling us this is how god did something becomes meaningless, for we cannot envisage the possibility of such a thing happening. Either god ought to say, let there be a man or that he ought to let nature take its course. So there is a serious flaw in this story the way it is told to have happened.

The other problem is with the setting and the plane of god eg where was Adam created ie in the heavens or here on the earth? Was he created on the earth and then taken to the heavens to live in the paradise in there or was the paradise brought down here on the earth? What was Adam created for? Again the story goes that there were angels and jinns already there because god created them before Adam. Angels we are told never question god�s wisdom but here we are told they did thus results a clear contradiction in the quran. Jinns we are told were created for exactly the same purpose as the humans ie with free will for test to see if they will worship god or not. If this is the case then satan being a jinn what was he doing in the heavens already living in paradise when he was supposed to be on trial already? This shows another contradiction in the quran as regard the purpose of creation of jinns.

There is yet another problem in this story, which is that people cannot see or hear god in this life, because if they did then they could not practice their freewill, yet satan has no such problems, which again contradicts scenario visibility of god versus practice of freewill. Now imagine the scenario that satan being fully aware of existence of god and his power, deliberately dares to disobey god, is that possible for any mindful creature and be comfortable with it the way the quran shows that the satan is? There is yet another problem with the story. God commands angels to bow down to Adam yet expect satan to read his mind and satan does that because the quran tells us how he argues against the order of god. What all these flaws show is that the story makers is not a knowledgeable person. 15/27, 51/56, 55/14, 15, 33, 74. So far we have only discussed the origin of the very first man according to the quran and as we can see it makes no sense whatsoever. This story can only be accepted true by people who have not helped themselves to knowledge of natural world and love childish stories which give us no real answers to our intriguing questions.

Adam is created in god�s own image ie he has personality, face, hands, legs etc, or is it that Adam has created god in his own image? In some verses Allah questions polytheists as regard their gods and ask, have they got eye to see, or ears to hear, or hands to catch, or feet to walk, then how can they be gods? Meaning that gods ought to have all these features, or is that they would be gods if they had these features and since they do not, so they are not gods. Since humans and even monkeys have these features, are they gods? As we can see the quran fails to give answer to the question of the origin of the first man. It is a very difficult question for the scientists to answer who believe in creationism the way it is told in the holy scriptures. Evolutionists are also having difficulty but their ideas make better sense and most educated people prefer there explanation of things as compared to the holy scriptures.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamen...m/039.smt.html

Book 039, Number 6707:
Abu Haraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took hold of my hands and said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created the clay on Saturday and He created the mountains on Sunday and He created the trees on Monday and He created the things entailing labour on Tuesday and created light on Wednesday and lie caused the animals to spread on Thursday and created Adam (peace be upon him) after 'Asr on Friday;the last creation at the last hour of the hours of Friday, i. e. between afternoon and night.


2) The origin of woman according to the quran.

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YUSUFALI: It is He Who hath produced you from a single person: here is a place of sojourn and a place of departure: We detail Our signs for people who understand.

PICKTHAL: And He it is Who hath produced you from a single being, and (hath given you) a habitation and a repository. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who have understanding.

SHAKIR: And He it is Who has brought you into being from a single soul, then there is (for you) a resting-place and a depository; indeed We have made plain the communications for a people who understand.

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YUSUFALI: It is He Who created you from a single person, and made his mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united, she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed). When she grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying): "If Thou givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful."

PICKTHAL: He it is Who did create you from a single soul, and therefrom did make his mate that he might take rest in her. And when he covered her she bore a light burden, and she passed (unnoticed) with it, but when it became heavy they cried unto Allah, their Lord, saying: If thou givest unto us aright we shall be of the thankful.

SHAKIR: He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate, that he might incline to her; so when he covers her she bears a light burden, then moves about with it; but when it grows heavy, they both call upon Allah, their Lord: If Thou givest us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful ones.

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YUSUFALI: He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)?

PICKTHAL: He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of cattle eight kinds. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away?

SHAKIR: He has created you from a single being, then made its mate of the same (kind), and He has made for you eight of the cattle in pairs. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers-- a creation after a creation-- in triple darkness; that is Allah your Lord, His is the kingdom; there is no god but He; whence are you then turned away?

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YUSUFALI: O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.

PICKTHAL: O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you.

SHAKIR: O people! be careful of (your duty to) your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same (kind) and spread from these two, many men and women; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, by Whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship; surely Allah ever watches over you.

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YUSUFALI: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

PICKTHAL: O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.

SHAKIR: O you men! surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.

My comments,

As one can clearly see that there is no much attention given to the creation of woman in the quran. All we are told is that Allah created woman from man. There is no mention of angels bowing down to woman etc etc. According to the hadith or the bible, the woman is named Eve and was created by god from Adam�a rib. The other animals were also created in pairs but we are not told if any of their females were created from the ribs of their males. So this is all the explanation one finds in the quran or hadith as regard creation of woman except that Adam was put to deep sleep when his rib was taken out by divine operation, tells the bible. Once again we are at a loss here as to why god needed to put Adam to deep sleep for this purpose, could he not say, be? Thereafter we are told that from these two ie Adam and Eve Allah brought forth the whole humanity. We are also told about children of Adam and Eve.

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YUSUFALI: Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former, "Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.

PICKTHAL: But recite unto them with truth the tale of the two sons of Adam, how they offered each a sacrifice, and it was accepted from the one of them and it was not accepted from the other. (The one) said: I will surely kill thee. (The other) answered: Allah accepteth only from those who ward off (evil).

SHAKIR: And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. He said: I I will most certainly slay you. (The other) said: Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).

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YUSUFALI: "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds.

PICKTHAL: Even if thou stretch out thy hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee, lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

SHAKIR: If you will stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me, I am not one to stretch forth my hand towards you to slay you surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds:

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YUSUFALI: "For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong."

PICKTHAL: Lo! I would rather thou shouldst bear the punishment of the sin against me and thine own sin and become one of the owners of the fire. That is the reward of evil-doers.

SHAKIR: Surely I wish that you should bear the sin committed against me and your own sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust.

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YUSUFALI: The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

PICKTHAL: But (the other's) mind imposed on him the killing of his brother, so he slew him and became one of the losers.

SHAKIR: Then his mind facilitated to him the slaying of his brother so he slew him; then he became one of the losers

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YUSUFALI: Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets-

PICKTHAL: Then Allah sent a raven scratching up the ground, to show him how to hide his brother's naked corpse. He said: Woe unto me! Am I not able to be as this raven and so hide my brother's naked corpse? And he became repentant.

SHAKIR: Then Allah sent a crow digging up the earth so that he might show him how he should cover the dead body of his brother. He said: Woe me! do I lack the strength that I should be like this crow and cover the dead body of my brother? So he became of those who regret.


My comment,

The story is also found in the bible. It surprises one to see Allah so concerned about hiding the body of a dead human but he is not concerned at all when he orders mass killing of infidels or for that matter cutting off hands and feet of others including muslims for theft for example. At one time Allah seems to be so concerned about trivial matters yet ignores matters of universal nature. By now we have a man created out of mud and woman created of his rib. The next problem we have in this is when Allah suddenly announces the birth of Jesus with out the need for him having a father 19/20 etc.

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YUSUFALI: She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!

PICKTHAL: She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.

SHAKIR: She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.

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YUSUFALI: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: How can He have a son when He hath no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things.

PICKTHAL: The Originator of the heavens and the earth! How can He have a child, when there is for Him no consort, when He created all things and is Aware of all things?

SHAKIR: Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything, and He is the Knower of all things.

My comments,

Again we have problem that Allah is intervening but only partly. Moreover the question is, what is his purpose of doing all this? The argument is that Allah cannot have son because he does not have a wife. This means that in the sight of Allah to have children there ought to be two parents ie male and female. Then Allah himself goes to show that no, you really do not need both parents to have children, for Jesus is fatherless and before that Eve was motherless and Adam had neither father nor mother, so what are we supposed to make of all this clear divine message of the all wise? On top of all this we are told the purpose of creating jesus this way was to make him a sign to children of Israel. However, to find a virgin with a child would have meant certain death for mary for that was the law of moses ie stone the adulterer to death. She had no way to prove her innocence, did she?

This meant somehow mary had to hide her pregnancy and if that was the case then how would people know that mary was really a virgin and that her pregnancy was a sign from Allah? For as far as people were concerned, she could have been with a man and got pregnant and made up the story, could she not? Moreover, such a sign ought to cause problem even today, for people�s normal experience is that human children are only born through both parents and so if anyone claimed otherwise would be unbelievable. It is hard enough to believe in the real world but to go against that is unbelievable. Especially when Allah himself uses real world events to prove his claims. So using real world event to prove one�s claims and making claims against the way real world works does not add up, does it? So one can see how far the alleged divine scripture helps us understand our origin and past or the way the world is and so one can guess whether we are led by the scripture or misled by it as regard our future as well.