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The scientific miracles in the Holy Quran

Courtesy: A brief guide to understanding Islam by I. A. Ibrahim

In Islam the Quran is the literal word of almighty Allah (God) which He revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (Sal) through the Angel Gabriel. It was memorized by Muhammad (Sal) who then dictated it to his companions. They in turn, memorized it, wrote it down, and reviewed it with the Prophet Muhammad (Sal). Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad (Sal) reviewed the Quran with the Angel Gabriel once each year and twice in the last year of his life.

Since the Quran was revealed until this day, there has always been a huge number of Muslims who have memorized all of the Quran, letter by letter. Some of them have been able to memorize all of the Quran by the age of ten. Not one letter of the Quran has been changed over the centuries.

The Quran, which was revealed fifteen centuries ago mentioned facts only recently discovered or proven by scientists. This proves without doubt that the Quran must be the literal word of God revealed by Him to the Prophet Muhammed (Sal) and that the Quran was not authored by Muhammad (Sal) or by another human being. This also proves that Mohammad is truly a prophet sent by God. It is beyond reason that any one fourteen hundred years ago would have known these facts discovered or proven only recently with the advanced equipment and sophisticated scientific methods.

For example: the Quran on Human Embryonic Development

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about the stages of human embryonic development.

"We created man from an extract of clay. Then, we made him as a drop in a place if settlement, firmly fixed. Then we made drop into an "Alaqah" (leech suspended thing and blood clot), then we made a aleqah into a Mudzhan (chewed - like substance 23, 12-14)

Literally, the Arabic word Alaqah has three meanings. (1) Leech (2) suspended thing and (3) blood clot.

In comparing a leech to the embryo at the alagah stage are final similarity between the two. (Book - The developing Human moore and - 5th.ed.p-8) Also, the embryo at this stage obtains nourishment from the blood of a mother, similar to the leech which feeds on the blood of others.

The second meaning of the word alaqah is "suspended thing" we can observe the suspension of the embryo during the alaqah stage, in the womb of the mother.

The third meaning of the word alaqah is "blood clot". We find that the external appearance of the embryo and sacs during the alaqah stage is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage.

Also during this stage, the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week. Thus the embryo at this stage is like a clot of blood. So the meaning of the word alaqah correspond accurately to the description of the embryo at the alaqah stage.

The next stage mentioned in the verse is mudghah stage. The Arabic word mudghah means, "chewed like substance." If one were to take a piece of gum and chew it in his mouth and then compare it with the embryo at the Mundghah stage we would conclude that the embryo at Mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed like substance because of the semites at the back of the embryo that "some what resemble teeth marks in a chewed substance." Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using an improved microscope in 1677 (Sore than 1000 years after Prophet Muhammed (Sal).

They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature performed human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital tract.

1981, during the seventh medical conference in Dhammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Moore said, it has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify the statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammed from God or Allah, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God Allah"

Consequently, Professor Moore was asked the following, question. Does this mean you believe that the Quran is the word of God? "He replied, I find no difficulty in accepting this."

Therefore, Muslims and non-Muslims should read the Quran to find scientific explanation of truth.

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Chalakudy - an experience par excellence

Continued from last week

Basic amenities are all supplied. Meals to thousands are served in the quickest possible time. Some 1,200 volunteers attend to such duties. A reminder that "We eat to live and not the other way about" is given at familiarisation.

The wake-up bell for the day rings at 5.30 a.m. and is followed by a cup of black coffee. The religious services commence at 6.15 a.m. when the continuous twittering of birds is drowned by a few thousand human voices raised to Heaven from various locations in the vicinity, in seven different tongues but with one single theme, "Praise the Lord, Alleluia." Thereafter the sessions with Holy Scripture based exercises continue till 10.00 p.m. with sufficient breaks for meals, meditation and leisure.

Both the clergy as well as distinguished lay people from various walks of life address the participants, pouring out their experiences. A team of professionally trained counsellors are there to help those in need. Organists and soloists from leading Pop Groups voluntarily take their turn to assist with the singing. An occasional hymn in Hindi accompanied by the vernacular drum-beat tickles a pleasant surprise in the Sri Lankan ear. It is not difficult for one to realise that the week-long retreat is a balm to the mind of the participant and an experience par excellence.

The Ashram of the Divine Retreat Centre is also a home of love with its numerous works of mercy. In a number of separate abodes it takes care of 450 mentally ill patients, 40 elders who are bedridden or terminally ill, 150 widows and abandoned wives, 300 children, 100 AIDS patients and a large number of alcoholics and drug-addicts, 80% of whom are successfully rehabilitated. All the inmates of the above categories have expressed their pain at being rejected by their families and society. Hence the priests, nuns, doctors and the volunteers mingle freely with them interviewing a bond of affection and friendship. No one indeed is sent away empty from the Ashram of Divine Retreat Centre.

Spiritual and charitable activities as these in operation makes one wonder whether there could be any land closer to the shores of Heaven than Chalakudy?

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Mi'raj - the super space mission

This month of Rajab is significant to the Muslim Ummath mainly because it is in this month the super space mission of Prophet Muhammed took place. Namely Mi'raj.

Almighty Allah prepared the Prophet for this mission through physical surgeries done on him by Angelic elements more than once. When the Prophet was young at the age of six when he was in the care of nurse Haleema he was operated by Angels replacing certain inner parts of his physique. This was observed by Haleema's children who were playing with the young Muhammed. At the age of forty before Prophethood the same procedure was repeated for the second time and thirdly a short time before Mi'raj, the super space mission the operational surgery was done in order to maintain physical fitness for the journey which took place when the Prophet was fifty two years.

That year was named the "Amul Hu'zan" the year of sorrow for the Prophet lost his beloved wife Kadeja and his paternal uncle Abu Thalib in this year. To console and to strengthen his feeling Almighty Allah took him on his space mission,which turned the course of his life and his ummath. The Holy Quran says "Glorified (and exalted) be He (Allah) (above all that (evil) they associated with him) who took His slave (Muhammed for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to Al Masjid-al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof we have blessed in order that we might show him (Muhammed) of our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

Man establishing contact with outer space has been foretold in Holy Quran almost one thousand five hundred years ago. It also says the power generates from Allah and with His permission man can establish contacts with the outer universe. In surah Ar Rahman, Allah says "O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allah)! 29-33. The purpose of this night journey called Mi'raj is to directly witness the glory and power of Allah and to bear witness of his creations.

On the 27th of Rajab the Prophet was in the company with Angel Jibreel proceeded from Masjidul Haram in Makkah to Masjidul Aqsa in Jerusalem in a space commune called Al-Buraq. He led prayer with all other Prophets assembled and ascended through the heavens meeting great Prophets Adam, Isa and the like up to a place called "Sidrathul Munthaha" where Jibreel the Arc Angel stopped accompanying the Prophet, as Jibreel could not go beyond. The prophet then proceeded alone wherein he was greeted with Salams by Allah and the Prophet in turn replied and repeated the Salams of him and his rightful Ummath to the lord. The prophet was shown the Heaven, the Hell, the good, the bad and the ugly and their rewards and punishment. As a gift of this mission Allah prescribing to inform his Ummath of "Salath" or "Prayer" five times a day as obligatory on the Muslim Ummath.

(To be continued)

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'Adi Puram' festival of Goddess Sakti Devi

This Hindu festival of Adi Puram is celebrated in all Hindu temples in the month called Adi, corresponding to the English months of July-August, when the asterism Puram (Delta Leonis) is in the ascendancy. The festival is observed to propitiate the goddess Sakti Devi who is said to have come into this world on this occasion to bless the people. People therefore worship her in order to secure happiness not only for themselves but also for their loved ones.

If the festival falls on a Friday, the occasion is considered to be highly auspicious, and the people worship the goddess in a more special way.

It is said that there are eight Nidhis or Saktis (Forces of nature) in the universe and they are controlled by Devi, the goddess of the Hindus. The eight magical arts, called in Hindu mystic parlance the Ashta Maha Siddhis, are derived from a knowledge of those forces.

They are

(1) Anima or the art of entering into a foreign body

(2) Mahima or the art of increasing the bulk of one's body,

(3) Garuna or the art of rendering small things tremendously ponderous,

(4) Laghima or the art of lifting with ease the largest and the heaviest substances,

(5) Prapti or the art of gaining access through a small hole to Brahma's heaven,

(6) Prakamya or the art of transubstantiating and entering into various worlds of tenuous matter, procuring all things needful from these and ascertaining the localities of various substances,

(7) Isatwam the art of creating, protecting and destroying the world as well as rendering the planets obedient to the will, and

(8) Vasitwam the art of bringing all created beings under subjection including Indra and the various gods.

The eight Nidhis are also called by eight different names with characteristics peculiar to each. The Nidhi called Padma is said to be presided over by Lakshmi and people attaining this Nidhi secure prowess and skill in warfare and also command the wealth of all mortals.

The Nidhi going by the name Mahapadma secures the command over all precious gems in the universe. It is meant for one having yogic tendencies in him. The Nidhi named Makara shapes the character of the individual and secures for him success in military operations and royal favour. The Nidhi called Kachapa brings success in all business undertakings and makes the individual the beloved of one and all. While the Nidhi Mukunda develops fine aesthetic instincts in the individual, and the one called Nanda secures for him good harvest and immunity from wants.

The Nidhi called Nila is said to lead to all sorts of enjoyments and the one named Sanka ensures self-realization and eternal bliss. The two Nidhis Sanka and Padma confer mundane enjoyments and heavenly bliss on individuals.

The wealth secured by Padma Nidhi makes worldly enjoyments possible and the yogic powers conferred by Sanka Nidhi result in bliss arising from self-realization. As these two Nidhis control the other Nidhis, sculptural representations of only these two Nidhis are placed at the sides of temple entrances in southern India.

According to a myth, the goddess of the universe took a human form on the Adi Puram day in a miraculous manner. A Vaishnava saint called Periyalwar of Srivilliputtur had no issues. He prayed to the goddess Lakshmi for children and she fulfilled his wish in the following manner. Alwar was ploughing his fields one-day when he came upon a lovely female child while turning the first furrow. Delighted at the precious find, he hastened to his home with it. He gave it to his wife, and named it Andal. The presiding deity of Srirangam temple, Sri Ranganath, is said to have accepted Andal as his wife when she grew up.

The festival is observed with great eclat in the temples of Madurai, Srivilliputtur, Tinnevelly, Vedaranyam, Negapatam, Jambukeswaram, Tiruvadi, Kumbakonam, Tiruvadaimarudhur, Mayavaram, Srivanjiyam and Tiruvannamalai. In the famous religious centre Chidambaram also, this Puram festival is observed not in the month Adi (July-August), but in the month Arpisi (November). The observance is said to be rather unique. There is also an inscription in the west gopuram of the temple and it is dated Saka 1517. The village called Poorappettai is mentioned in connection with the observance of this festival as stated above.

It is noteworthy that all festivals are held only once in a year and no festival is held twice. All the important festivals are observed throughout the country at the same time. As the religious festivals of the Hindus are closely connected with the movements of the stars and planets, correct information regarding the time at which the observation should take place is highly essential if at all the observances are to be efficacious. Hence great stress is laid on the accuracy of the information to be recorded in the Hindu almanacs or Panchangams by the astronomers.

As several systems of computation have arisen with the lapse of time, some following the heliocentric system, and some following the geocentric system and so on, differences of opinion have also arisen regarding the time of the observance of Hindu rites and ceremonies. But the principle on which these observances are based is the same and we find no differences in opinion in this regard. Further, in the observance of most of the important religious festivals, we find no differences of opinion among the astronomers.

The Vedas and the Agamas say that the performance of a definite number of religious festivals is essential for the welfare of a country. The number of such festivals varies with the different sects of Hindus. It is recorded in the second prakara of Sri Thagaraja temple at Tiruvarur in Tanjore that fifty-six festivals are to be observed every year.

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50th golden jubilee of Our Lady of Remedies, Sillalai

Sillalai is a village 10 miles from the Jaffna town which will celebrate its 50th Golden Jubilee of the new church on the August 15. The church flag was hoisted on August 6 by the Parish Priest. Vespers will be celebrated with Eucharist procession on August 14 in the evening. And also the 50th jubilee feast celebrates with the procession of the statue of our lady on August 15.

This feat is celebrated annually from generation to generation. And also this feast awakened the anxiety of not only the people of the village, but also the Sri Lankans as well as the foreigners. This feast reminds of the ascension of our Lady into heaven.

The patron of Sillalai

The historical shrine of Our Lady of Remedies is situated in the village of Sillalai in the Jaffna diocese is considered to be the oldest church in the North and is over 400 years old.

In this beautiful church built by Rev. Fr. Daisey OMI, one can see this same old original miraculous statue of Our Lady of Remedies adorned with ornaments, seated on a throne with a golden crown studded with a ruby on her head and the child Jesus on her lap. This statue has been placed today on a beautiful carved wooden alter.

In 1554 the Portuguese missionaries came to Jaffna to propagate the Christianity as especially to propagate Catholicism. For this purpose they built few churches in the peninsula. They built a church at Panadateruppu named as American mission and also they decided to present the blessed Mary's beautiful statue which they got from the Portugal and honoured her with great piety and devotion.

(To be continued)

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Christians of All Denominations: Unite

Christians of all denominations let's unite, unite;
Our Country's situation to bring to right.
Jesus, our Saviour, Redeemer, and king.
Ask His help and praises sing.

In Bethlehm on a cold winter night;
Born in a stable to a virgin: To lead us right,
Left His heavenly home: For our sake became poor,
Lived among men: Experienced man's sorrows and joys for sure.
His aim to lead man to Heaven above.
Preached He: showed the right path all for love.

A group of twelve fishermen selected He;
Illiterate, uneducated though they happened to be
His guidance and teaching made them fit to carry
His church on early to the end: Not tarry.

His death, Resurrection: Redeemed man from death'sin and hell
The Risen Christ onquered as the prophets did tell
The Scriptures were fulfilled as they were fore told
The light of the world we now behold
Our saviour our Redeemer His church did form
With twelve apostles on that glorious morn.

"To the worlds end with you I'll be;
This promise to Peter the Head made HE.
Two thousand years have now rolled away
The situation the world over; Let's pause and pray.
Day by day what a sight meets our eyes?
Floods, storms, earthquakes' earthslips and man's cries
A bomb here, a bomb there killings abound
Much unrest in the world over spreads around.

Perhaps the second coming of Christ is near at hand;
Thus this way be a warning to man in every land.
So deep down into our hearts let's all do peep.
And eradicate all evil that lies buried deep.

Not as a babe would he come this time
But in all glory as a king - To judge mankind bad or fine
Though we no not the day or the hour....
Let's ask god to lead us and show us by his power.
"What wonders await in that fair land

The face of our saviour, the touch of his hand
No tears, no crying, no sighs or despair
JESUS is waiting to welcome us there."

Norma Perera
Kelaniya

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