Susunan bumi adalah kompleks. Pada waktu ini secara kasar sekali kita dapat mengatakan bahwa bumi itu mempunyai lapisan dalam; temperatur disitu sangat tinggi khususnya di bagian tengah di mana batu-batu masih cair. Adapun lapisan atas atau kulit bumi merupakan lapisan yang keras dan dingin. Lapisan atas itu sangat tipis, hanya setebal antara beberapa kilometer dan beberapa puluh kilometer; sedang poros bumi itu lebih dari 6.000 kilometer. Dengan begitu maka kulit bumi, rata-rata tidak sampai 1/100 poros bumi. Dalam batas 1/100 inilah fenomena-fenomena geologi terjadi.
Yang paling dasar daripada perubahan-perubahan geologi adalah lipatan yang asalnya adalah rangkaian gunung-gunung. Terbentuknya lipatan-lipatan itu dalam geologi dinamakan “orogenese.” Proses ini penting sekali karena setelah nampak relief (pemunculan) yang akan membentuk gunung terjadi pula gerakan kearah kedalam yang proporsional dengan kulit bumi yang menjamin tempat duduknya gunung itu dalam lapisan di bawahnya.
Sejarah tentang pembagian muka bumi menjadi tanah dan lautan adalah hasil penyelidikan yang masih baru dan masih belum sempurna, walaupun yang mengenai periode yang tidak sangat kuno tetapi yang lebih banyak diketahui. Sangat boleh jadi bahwa timbulnya lautan (hidrosfir) terjadi 1/2 milliar tahun yang lalu. Mula-mula semua benua merupakan satu kesatuan pada “Zaman Pertama” dan kemudian terserak-serak. Di lain pihak ada benua-benua atau bagian benua yang muncul sebagai akibat terjadinya gunung dalam daerah laut (seperti benua Atlantik Utara dan sebagian dari Europa, menurut pandangan Sains modern).
Yang mempunyai pengaruh besar dalam sejarah pembentukan bumi adalah munculnya rangkaian gunung-gunung. Para ahli mengelompokkan semua evolusi bumi, dari periode pertama sampai periode keempat dengan mengambil pedoman dari tahap orogenik (gunung-gunung) dan tahap-tahap ini sendiri dikelompokkan dalam siklus-siklus orogenik, karena tiap-tiap munculnya relief gunung akan mempengaruhi keseimbangan antara lautan dan benua. Munculnya gunung-gunung telah menghilangkan beberapa bagian bumi yang tinggi dan menumbuhkan bagian-bagian yang baru dan telah merubah pembagian udara laut dan udara kontinental semenjak beratus-ratus juta tahun. Udara kontinental hanya mengambil tempat 3/10 dari seluruh muka bumi.
Dengan cara tersebut di atas kita dapat menyimpulkan secara sangat tidak sempurna perubahan-perubahan yang terjadi dalam beberapa ratus juta tahun yang lalu.
Adapun yang mengenai relief bumi, Quran hanya menyinggung terbentuknya gunung-gunung. Sesungguhnya dari segi yang kita bicarakan di sini, hanya sedikit yang dapat kita katakan; yaitu ayat-ayat yang menunjukkan perhatian Tuhan kepada manusia dalam hubungannya dengan terbentuknya bumi seperti dalam Surat 71 ayat 19-20 :
Dan Allah menjadikan bumi untukmu sebagai hamparan supaya kamu menempuh jalan-jalan yang luas di bumi itu
Surat 51 ayat 48 :
Dan bumi itu Kami hamparkan, maka sebaik-baik yang menghamparkan adalah Kami
(Permadani) yang digelar (dihamparkan) adalah kulit bumi yang keras yang di atasnya kita dapat hidup. Adapun lapisanlapisan di bawah adalah sangat panas, cair dan tak sesuai dengan kehidupan. Ayat-ayat Qur-an yang mengenai gunung-gunung serta isyarat-isyarat tentang stabilitasnya karena akibat fenomena lipatan adalah sangat penting.
Surat 88 ayat 19-20:
Dan gunung-gunung bagaimana ia ditegakkan, Dan bumi bagaimana ia dihamparkan
Konteks ayat mengajak orang-orang yang tidak beragama untuk melihat fenomena-fenomena alamiah. Ayat-ayat di bawah ini menjelaskan lebih lanjut:
Surat 78 ayat 6-7:
Bukankah Kami telah menjadikan bumi itu sebagai hamparan, dan gunung-gunung sebagai pasak
Orang-orang yang beragama itu memakai “autad” (kata jamak dari “watad”) untuk menetapkan tenda di atas tanah.
Para ahli geologi modern menggambarkan lipatan tanah yang mengambil tempat duduk di atas relief, dan yang dimensinya berbeda-beda sampai beberapa kilometer bahkan beberapa puluh kilometer. Daripada fenomena lipatan inilah kulit bumi dapat menjadi stabil.
Karena hal-hal tersebut di atas kita tidak heran jika membaca Qur-an dan mendapatkan pemikiran-pemikiran tentang gunung-gunung seperti berikut:
Surat 79 ayat 32:
Dan gunung-gunung dipancangkanNya dengan teguh
Surat 31 ayat 10:
Dia mengokohkan gunung-gunung di (permukaan) bumi supaya bumi itu tidak menggoyangkan kalian
Kata-kata tersebut diulangi lagi dalam surat 16 ayat 15 :
Dia mengokohkan gunung-gunung di (permukaan) bumi supaya bumi itu tidak menggoyangkan kalian
Ide yang sama diterangkan dengan cara yang agak berlainan dalam surat 21 ayat 31:
Dan telah Kami jadikan di bumi ini gunung-gunung yang kokoh supaya bumi itu (tidak) goncang bersama mereka
Ayat-ayat tersebut menerangkan bahwa cara gunung-gunung itu diletakkan adalah sangat menjamin stabilitasnya, dan hal ini sangat sesuai dengan penemuan-penemuan geologi.
Each person is born in a circumstance which is not of his own choosing. The religion of his family or the ideology of the state is thrust upon him from the very beginning of his existence in this world. By the time he reaches his teens, he is usually fully brain-washed into believing that the beliefs of his particular society are the correct beliefs that everyone should have. However, when some people mature and are exposed to other belief-systems, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs. The seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion upon realizing that each and every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy claims to be the one and only correct way for man. Indeed they all encourage people to good. So, which one is right? They cannot all be right since each claims all others to be wrong. Then how does the seeker of truth choose the right way?
God gave us all minds and intellects to enable us to make this crucial decision. It is the most important decision in the life of a human being. Upon it depends his future. Consequently, each and every one of us must examine dispassionately the evidence presented and choose what appears to be right until further evidence arises.
Like every other religion or philosophy, Islam also claims to be the one and only true way to God. In this respect it is no different from other systems. This article intends to provide some evidence for the validity of that claim. However, it must always be kept in mind that one can only determine the true path by putting aside emotions and prejudices, which often blind us to reality. Then, and only then, will we be able to use our God-given intelligence and make a rational and correct decision.
There are several arguments which may be advanced to support Islam’s claim to be the true religion of God. The following are only three of the most obvious. The first argument is based on the Divine origin of the names of the religion and the comprehensiveness of its meaning. The second deals with the unique and uncomplicated teachings concerning the relationship between God, man, and creation. The third argument derives from the fact that Islam is universally attainable by all men at all times. These are the three basic components of what logic and reason dictate necessary for a religion to be considered the true religion of God. The following pages will develop these concepts in some detail.
1. The Religion’s Name
The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word “Islam” itself means. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true God, known in Arabic as “Allah”. One who submits his will to God is termed in Arabic a “Muslim”. The religion of Islam is not named after a person or people, nor was it decided by a later generation of man, as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ (p), Buddhism after Gautama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, Marxism after Karl Marx, Judaism after the tribe of Judah, and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam (submission to the will of God) is the religion which was given to Adam (p), the first man and the first prophet of God, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. Further, its name was chosen by God Himself and clearly mentioned in the final scripture which He revealed to man. In the final revelation, called the Qur’an in Arabic, Allah states the following:
This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and I have chosen for you Islam as you religion (Qur’an 5:3)
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of him (Qur’an 3:85)
Hence, Islam does not claim to be a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (p) into Arabia in the seventh century, but rather to be a re-expression in its final form of the true religion of Almighty God, Allah, as it was originally revealed to Adam (p) and subsequent prophets.
At this point we might comment briefly on two other religions that claim to be the true path. Nowhere in the Bible will you find God revealing to Prophet Moses’ (p) people or their descendants that their religion is called Judaism, or to the followers of Christ (p) that their religion is called Christianity. In other words, the names “Judaism” and “Christianity” had no divine origin or approval. It was not until long after his departure that the name “Christianity” was given to Jesus’ (p) religion.
What, then, was Jesus’ (p) religion in actual fact, as distinct from its name? His religion was reflected in his teachings, which he urged his followers to accept as guiding principles in their relationship with God. In Islam, Jesus (p) is a prophet sent by Allah and his Arabic name is Eesa. Like the prophets before him, he called upon the people to surrender their will to the will of God (which is what Islam stands for). For example, in the New Testament, it is stated that Jesus (p) taught his followers to pray to God as follows:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11:2; Matt. 6:9-10)
This concept was emphasized by Jesus (p) in a number of his statements recorded in the Gospels. He taught, for example, that only those who submitted would inherit Paradise.
Jesus (p) also pointed out that he himself submitted to the will of God.
“None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)
“I cannot do anything of myself. I judge as I hear and my judgment is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of Him Who sent me.” (John 5:30)
There are many reports in the Gospels which show that Jesus (p) made it clear to his followers that he was not the one true God. For example, when speaking about the final Hour, he said:
“No one knows about the Day or Hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)
Thus, Jesus (p) like the prophets before him and the one who came after him, taught the religion of Islam: submission to the will of the One true God.
2. God and Creation
Since the total submission of one’s will to God represents the essence of worship, the basic message of God’s divine religion, Islam, is the worship of God alone. It also requires the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than God. Since everything other than God, the Creator of all things, is God’s creation, it may be said that Islam, in essence, calls man away from worship of creation and invites him to worship only his Creator. He is the only one deserving of man’s worship, because it is only by His will that prayers are answered.
Accordingly, if a man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it is not the tree that answered his prayers but God, Who allows the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, “That is obvious”; however, to tree-worshipers, it might not be so. Similarly, prayers to Jesus (p), Buddha, Krishna, St. Christopher, St. Jude, or even to Muhammad (p), are not answered by them, but are answered by God. Jesus (p) did not tell his followers to worship him but to worship God, as the Qur’an states:
And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus, the son of Mary! Did you say to men, worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah?’; He will say: ‘Glory to you, I could never say what I had no right (to say) (Qur’an 5:116)
Nor did Jesus (p) worship himself when he worshiped, but rather he worshiped God. And Jesus (p) was reported in the Gospels to have said:
“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'” (Luke 4:8)
The basic principle is contained in the opening chapter of the Qur’an, known as Surah al-Fatihah, verse 5:
You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help (Qur’an 1 : 5)
Elsewhere in the final book of revelation, the Qur’an, God also said:
And your Lord says: ‘Call on Me and I will answer your (prayer) (Qur’an 40:60)
It is worth emphasizing that the basic message of Islam (namely, the worship of God alone) also proclaims that God and His creation are distinctly different entities. God is neither equal to His creation nor a part of it, nor is His creation equal to Him or a part of Him.
This might seem obvious, but man’s worship of creation, instead of the Creator, is to a large degree based on ignorance, or neglect, of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of God is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some parts of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of God’s creation and naming it the worship of God. However, the message of Islam, as brought by the prophets of God, is to worship only God and to avoid the worship of His creation either directly or indirectly.
In the Qur’an, God clearly states:
For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet, with the command: Worship Me and avoid false gods (Qur’an 16:36)
When idol worshipers are questioned as to why they bow down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshiping the stone image, but God Who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for God’s essence and is not in itself God! One who has accepted the concept of God being present in any way within His creation will be obliged to accept this argument for idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never agree to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized.
Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that God is present in man. Taking one step further, they claim that God is more present in them than the rest of us, and that other humans should therefore submit to them and worship them as God in person or as God concentrated within their persons. Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their deaths have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God’s presence in man.
It should be abundantly clear by now that one who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstance. God’s religion, in essence, is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam “There is no god but Allah”. The sincere declaration of this phrase and the acceptance of prophethood automatically brings one within the fold of Islam, and sincere belief in it guarrantees one Paradise. Belief in this declaration of faith requires that one submit his/her will to God in the way taught by the prophets of God. It also requires the believer to give up the worship of false gods.
3. The Message of False Religions
There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all which claim to be the right way or the only true path to God! How can one determine which one is correct or whether, in fact, all are correct? One method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central object of worship upon which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regard to God: they either claim that all men are gods, or that specific men were God, or that nature is God, or that God is a figment of man’s imagination.
Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that God may be worshiped in the form of His creation. False religions invite man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet Jesus (p) invited his followers to worship God, but those who claim to be Jesus’ followers today call people to worship Jesus (p), claiming that he was God.
Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles in the religion of India. He did not claim to be God, nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and they prostrate themselves to idols made in their perception of his likeness.
By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, we can easily detect false religions and the contrived nature of their origin. As God said in the Qur’an:
That which you worship besides Him are only names and you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority; the command belongs only to Allah: He has command that you worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand (Qur’an 12:40)
It may be argued that all religions teach good things, so why should it matter which one we follow? The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil: the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of His creation. Man was created to worship God alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Qur’an:
I have only created jinns and men, that they may worship Me (Qur’an 51:56)
Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an option, but a revealed fact stated by God in His final revelation to man:
Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whomsoever He wishes (Qur’an 4:48)
4. Universality of God’s Religion
Since the consequences of following a false religion are so grave, the true religion of God must have been universally understandable and universally attainable in the past and it must continue eternally to be understandable and attainable throughout the entire world. In other words, the true religion of God cannot be confined to any one people, place, or period of time. Nor is it logical that such a religion should impose conditions that have nothing to do with the relationship of man with God, such as baptism, or belief in man as a savior, or an intermediary. Within the central principle of Islam and its definition (the surrender of one’s will to God) lie the roots of Islam’s universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that God is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to God, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise.
Consequently, anyone at any time in the most remote regions of the world can become Muslim, a follower of God’s religion, Islam, be merely rejecting the worship of creation and turning to God alone. It should be noted, however, that in order to actually submit to God’s will, one must continually choose between right and wrong. Indeed, man is endowed by God with the power not only to distinguish right from wrong but also to choose between them. These God-given powers carry with them an important responsibility, namely, that man is answerable to God for the choices he makes. It follows, then, that man should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil. These concepts are expressed in the final revelation as follows:
Verily, those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians (angel-and-star worshipers) – any of these who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord. They will not be overcome by fear or grief (Qur’an 2:62)
If, for whatever reason, they fail to accept the final message after it has been clearly explained to them, they will be in grave danger. The last Prophet said:
Whoever among the Christians and Jews hears of me but does not affirm his belief in what I brought and dies in that state will be among the inhabitants of hell (Sahih Muslim [English Translation], Vol.1 P.91 No.284)
5. Recognition of God
The question which arises here is: How can all people be expected to believe in the one true God, given their varying backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be held responsible for worshipping the one true God, they all need to have access to knowledge of him. The final revelation teaches that all human beings have the recognition of the one true God imprinted on their souls as a part of their very nature with which they are created.
In the seventh chapter of the Qur’an (Al-A’raaf, verses 172-173),God explained that when He created Adam He caused all of Adam’s descentants to come into existence and He took a pledge from them saying:
“‘Am I not your Lord?’ To which they all replied, ‘Yes, we testify to it.'”
Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and the only true God worthy of worship. He said:
That was in case you (mankind) should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Verily we were unaware of all this (Qur’an 7:172)
That is to say, we cannot claim on that Day that we had no idea that Allah was our God and that no one told us that we were supposed to worship Allah alone. Allah went on to further explain that:
It was also in case you should say, ‘Certainly it was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did? (Qur’an 7:173)
Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in God and an in-born inclination to worship Him alone. This in-born belief and inclination is called in Arabic the “Fitrah”.
The Prophet Muhammad reported that Allah said, “I created my servants in the right religion, but devils made them go astray.” The Prophet also said, “Each child is born in a state of Fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian.” If the child were left alone, he would worship God in his own way, but all children are affected by the environment. So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has imposed on nature, in the same way his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, if his parents try to make him follow a different path, the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. In such cases, the religion which the child follows is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold him to account or punish him for his religion up to a certain stage of his life.
6. The Signs of God
Throughout people’s lives, from childhood until the time they die, signs of the one and only true God are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). God says in the Qur’an:
We will show them our signs in the furthest regions (of the earth) and in their souls, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth (Qur’an 41:53)
The following is an example of God revealing by a sign to one man the error of his idol-worship. In the south-eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their man-idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The following day a young man entered the hut to pay homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog slunk into the hut. The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift his hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lord of the Universe. God must be elsewhere, he concluded. As strange as it may seem, the dog urinating on the idol was a sign from God for that young man. This sign contained the divine message that what he was worshiping was false. It liberated him from slavishly following his traditionally learned worship of a false god. As a result, this man was given a choice: either to seek the true God or to continue in the error of his ways.
Allah mentions Prophet Abraham’s quest for God as an example of how those who follow His signs will be rightly guided:
So also did We show Abraham the power and the Laws of the heavens and the earth that he might (with understanding) have certitude. When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said: ‘I love not those that set.’ When he saw the moon rising in splendor, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when the moon set, he said: ‘Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray.’ When he saw the rising sun in splendor, he said: ‘This is my Lord, this is the greatest (of all).’ But when the sun set, he said: ‘O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah (Qur’an 6:75-79)
As was mentioned earlier, prophets have been sent to every nation and tribe to support man’s natural belief in God and man’s in-born inclination to worship Him, as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by God. Although much of these prophets’ teachings became distorted, portions revealing their God-inspired messages have remained untainted and have served to guide mankind in the choice between right and wrong. The influence of God-inspired messages down through the ages can be seen in the “Ten Commandments” of Judaisn’s Torah which were later adopted into Christianity’s teachings, as well as in the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies throughout the ancient and modern world.
As a result of God’s signs to mankind through the ages combined with His revelation through His prophets, all mankind has been given a chance to recognize the one and only true God.
Consequently, every soul will be held accountable for its belief in God and its acceptance of the true religion of God, namely Islam, which means total submission to the will of Allah.
7. Conclusion
The preceding presentation has demonstrated that the name of the religion of Islam expresses Islam’s most central principle, submission to God, and that the name “Islam” was chosen not by man, but by God, according to the holy scriptures of Islam. It has also been shown that Islam alone teaches the uniqueness of God and His attributes and enjoins the worship of God alone without intermediaries. Finally, due to the divinely instilled inclination of man to worship God and the signs revealed by God throughout the ages to each individual, Islam may be achieved by all men at all times.
In short, the significance of the name Islam (submission to God), is Islam’s fundamental acknowledgement of the uniqueness of God and Islam’s accessibility to all mankind at all times convincingly support Islam’s claim that from the beginning of time in whatever language it was expressed, Islam alone has been and will be the true religion of God.
In conclusion we ask Allah, the Exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us His blessings and mercy, for He is indeed the Most-Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on Prophet Muhammad and all the prophets of God and their righteous followers.
Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea has its own temperature, salinity, and density [1]. For example, Mediterranean sea water is warm, saline, and less dense, compared to Atlantic ocean water. When Mediterranean sea water enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill, it moves several hundred kilometers into the Atlantic at a depth of about 1000 meters with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics. The Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth [2]. See picture below.
figure 13
EXPLANATION FIGURE 13 : The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gilbraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. Temperature are in degrees Celcius (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p.3, with a slight enhancement)
Although there are large waves, strong currents, and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.
The Holy Quran mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress. God has said, Quran 55:19-20
He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress
But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of โa forbidding partitionโ with the barrier. God has said in the Quran 25:53
He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition
One may ask, why did the Quran mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a โpycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layersโ[3]. This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water [4]. See picture below.
figure 14
EXPLANATION FIGURE 14: Longitudinal section showing salinity (parts per thousand โฐ) in an estuary. We can see here the partition (zone of separation) between the fresh and the salt water. (Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, p. 301, with a slight enhancement.)
This information has been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen dissolubility, etc. The human eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet, rather the two seas appear to us as one homogeneous sea. Likewise, the human eye cannot see the division of water in estuaries into the three kinds: fresh water, salt water, and the partition (zone of separation).
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FOOTNOTES:
[1] Principles of Oceanography, Davis, pp. 92-93.
[2] Principles of Oceanography, Davis, p. 93.
[3] Oceanography, Gross, p. 242. Also see Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.
[4] Oceanography, Gross, p. 244, and Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, pp. 300-301.
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by : A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam (I.A. Ibrahim)
Saat ini, terdapat sekitar satu milyar umat islam di dunia yang tanpa ragu menerima Al Quran sebagai “Firman Allah SWT” dan sebuah “Mukjizat”
Mengapa tidak? Bahkan musuh-musuh memberikan penghargaan yang tidak diminta sehubungan dengan mukjizat alamiah dari kitab Tuhan ini.
1. Pendeta R Bosworth Smith dalam bukunya, Muhammed and Mohammedanism, menulis opini tentang Al Quran sebagai “sebuah mukjizat dari kemurnian gaya bahasa, kebijaksanaan dan kebenaran”
2. Orang Inggris lain, AJ Arberry, berkata “Setiap saya mendengar Al Quran dibacakan, sepertinya saya sedang mendengarkan musik. Dalam alunan melodi, selama itu terdapat suara terus menerus sebuah drum, seperti memukul-mukul hati saya”
3. Marmaduke Picktall melukiskan Al Quran sebagai “Simfoni yang tak ada bandingnya, suara yang benar-benar menggerakkan hati manusia menangis dan luar biasa gembira”
4. J Shilidy DD beranggapan “Al Quran adalah injil kepunyaan Mohammedan, dan lebih dihormati daripada kitab suci lainnya, lebih dari perjanjian lama orang yahudi atau perjanjian baru orang kristen”
Kita dapat dengan mudah mengemukakan selusin lebih kata-kata pujian sebagaimana daftar diatas. Teman-teman dan lawan sepertinya memberikan pujian spontan terhadap Al Quran, wahyu Tuhan yang terakhir dan penghabisan.
B. Keindahan Bahasa dan Logika yang beralasan
Orang-orang pada masa Muhammad melihat keindahan dan keagungan Al Quran, kemulian seruannya dan keluhuran perintah sucinya, tanda-tanda dan mukjizat Tuhan bekerja dan diterima.
Untuk semua penghargaan dan pembuktian tersebut, orang-orang yang tidak percaya dan meragukan mungkin berkata bahwa itu semua adalah perasaan subjektif belaka. Dia mungkin lebih jauh berdalih bahwa ia tidak mengetahui bahasa arab. Terdengar ia berkata “Saya tidak melihat apa yang kamu lihat, tidak juga merasa apa yang kamu rasa. Bagaimana saya dapat mengetahui bahwa Tuhan itu ada, dan dia mewahyukan kepada utusanNya (Muhammad) dengan perintah suci yang indah itu, Al Quran?”
Dia melanjutkan “Saya tidak menyangkal keindahan filsafat di dalam Quran, etika praktis dan ketinggian moral di dalamnya. Saya bersedia mengakui bahwa Muhammad adalah seorang yang tulus dan memberikan banyak ajaran indah untuk manusia. Yang tidak saya ikuti adalah apa yang umat islam nyatakan sebagai ‘sebuah kekuatan gaib dalam pendikteannya’ “
Untuk opini semacam ini yang bermental ragu-ragu, Penulis Kitab Al Quran (Allah) menggunakan berbagai macam tipe argumen untuk memecahkan keraguannya. Bagi orang-orang ateis dan yang ragu-ragu, para pengejek dan bimbang, orang-orang yang menganggap dirinya punya banyak pengetahuan, juga mereka yang menganggap dirinya sebagai raksasa intelektual, maka masalah tersebut diarahkan kembali ke dasar bahwa mereka pada kenyataannya seperti orang kerdil.
Tetapi sebelum kita mengajukan pertanyaan Tuhan kepadanya, ijinkan saya memuaskan keingintahuan saya sendiri. “Anda orang berpengetahuan yang telah belajar astronomi melalui teleskop Anda yang hebat seperti jika meneliti dengan cermat sebuah objek yang berada dalam kekuasaan Anda dan mempelajari alam, maka katakan pada saya bagaimana terjadinya alam ini?”
Orang berpengetahuan ini yang meski kurang dalam pemahaman spiritual, segera memberi tanggapan. Ia memulai “Milyaran tahun yang lalu alam semesta kita adalah sebuah bagian zat, dan kemudian terjadi sebuah big bang di pusat gumpalan zat raksasa tersebut, dan bongkahan zat yang kuat itu mulai beterbangan ke segala arah. Dari big bang tersebut sistem tata surya berasal, begitu juga galaksi, dan sejak itu tidak ada pertahan di angkasa terhadap momentum yang dibangkitkan oleh ledakan awal, bintang-bintang dan planet-planet berotasi dalam orbitnya…”
Pada waktu ini ingatan saya menggelitik teman materealis itu tampak dengan rahasia menyerap pengetahuan mereka dari Surat Yasin
QS Yasin 38-40
Dan matahari berjalan di tempat peredarannya. Demikianlah ketetapan Yang Maha Perkasa lagi Maha Mengetahui. Dan kami telah tetapkan manzilah manzilah sehingga (setelah dia sampai kepada manzilah yang terakhir) kembalilah dia sebagai bentuk tandan yang tua. Tidaklah mungkin matahari mendapatkan bulan dan malam pun tidak dapat mendahului siang. Dan masing-masing beredar pada garis edarnya.
Ilmuwan ateis tersebut melanjutkan “Kita adalah perluasan alam semesta. Galaksi surut dari kita dengan kecepatan yang selalu bertambah cepat, dan suatu saat mencapai kecepatan cahaya, kita tidak akan dapat melihatnya lagi. Secepat mungkin kita harus membuat teleskop yang lebih besar dan lebih baik untuk mempelajarinya, jika tidak kita akan ketinggalan”
Kami bertanya “Kapan Anda menemukan cerita dongeng ini?” ia lantas meyakinkan kami “Tidak, ini bukanlah cerita dogeng, tetapi fakta ilmu pengetahuan”
“Baiklah kami menerima kenyataan yang Anda katakan, tetapi kapan Anda mengetahuinya?”, dia menjawab “baru kemarin”. Lima puluh tahun sesudah semuanya adalah “baru kemarin” dalam sejarah umat manusia.
Kami bertanya “Seorang Arab yang tidak berpengetahuan di padang pasir 1400 tahun lalu, tidaklah mungkin mempunyai pengetahuan tentang big bang dan perluasan alam semesta kan?”, lalu ia menjawab “Tidak, tidak pernah”
“Baik, jika demikian dengar apa yang dikatakan oleh nabi yang ummi tersebut :
QS Al Anbiya 30
“Dan apakah orang-orang yang ingkar itu tidak mengetahui bahwa sesungguhnya langit dan bumi itu keduanya adalah suatu yang padu, kemudian kami pisahkan antara keduanya”
Tak dapatkah Anda melihat kata-kata “orang-orang yang tidak percaya” dalam kutipan pertama di atas secara khusus ditujukan kepada Anda, orang yang berpengetahuan, para ahli geografi astronomi, orang yang setelah membuat penemuan yang menakjubkan dan menyampaikan penemuan tersebut kepada umat manusia namun masih tetap buta seperti tidak melihat penulisnya?.
Kata Thomas Carlyle, “Dengan pengetahuan dan ensiklopedi, kita mungkin melupakan ketuhanan dalam percobaan-percobaan kita itu”.
Dimanakah pada bumi ini seorang pengendara unta di padang pasir 14 abad yang lalu dapat mengumpulkan sedikit demi sedikit fakta ilmiah kalian itu, kecuali hal itu dari pembuat big bang sendiri?
Pernyataan tentang kekalahan pasukan Romawi oleh pasukan Persia yang terdapat dalam permulaan Surah Ar-Rum. Pada tahun 325, raja Konstantin memeluk agama Kristen, dan menjadikan agama ini sebagai agama negara yang resmi (Awal dari terbentuknya konsili Nicea yang mengesahkan Trinitas). Secara spontan, rakyat Romawipun banyak yang memeluk agama tersebut, sementara itu kekaisaran Persia, penyembah matahari, menolak untuk memeluk agama tersebut. Adapun raja yang memegang tampuk kekaisaran Romawi pada akhir abad ke-7 M adalah Maurice, seorang raja yang kurang memperhatikan masalah kenegaraan dan politik. Oleh karenanya angkatan bersenjatanya pun kemudian mengadakan kudeta dibawah pimpinan panglimanya yang bernama Pochas. Setelah mengadakan kudeta, Pochas naik tahta dan menghukum keluarga raja dengan cara yang kejam. Serta mengirim seorang duta ke Persia, yang pada waktu itu dipegang oleh Kisra Chorus II, putra Kisra Anu Syirwan yang adil.
Pada waktu Kisra tahu kejadian kudeta di Romawi, Kisra sangat marah karena Kisra pernah berhutang budi pada Maurice yang sekaligus juga mertuanya itu. Kemudian Kisra memerintahkan untuk memenjarakan duta besar Romawi, serta menyatakan tidak mengakui pemerintahan Romawi yang baru. Akhirnya Kisra Chorus melancarkan peperangan terhadap Romawi. Angkatan perangnya merayap melintasi sungai Euphrat menuju Syam. Dalam serangan ini Pochas tidak dapat mempertahankan diri terhadap angkatan perang Persia yang telah menguasai kota Antiochia dan El Quds.
Sementara itu penguasa Romawi didaerah jajahan Afrika juga mengirimkan pasukan besar dibawah pimpinan puteranya, yaitu Heraklius. Bertolaklah pasukan tersebut dengan diam-diam melalui jalan laut, sehingga Pochas tidak tahu kedatangan mereka. Tanpa menghadapi perlawanan sama sekali, Heraklius akhirnya berhasil menguasai kekaisaran dan membunuh Pochas. Walaupun Heraklius berhasil menguasai kekaisaran dan membunuh Pochas, namun Heraklius tidak berhasil menahan badai pasukan Persia. Sehingga Romawi kehilangan daerah jajahannya dan tinggallah kekaisaran Romawi di ibukota saja. Penduduk yang tinggal di ibukota penuh diliputi rasa kekhawatiran akan serangan pasukan Persia yang akan memasuki ibukota.
Setelah berlangsung peperangan selama enam tahun, kaisar Persia mau mengadakan perdamaian dengan Heraklius tetapi dengan satu syarat, Heraklius harus menyerahkan seribu talent emas, seribu talent perak, seribu pakaian dari sutera, seribu kuda dan seribu gadis perawan kepada Kisra. Sementara pada ibukota Persia dan Romawi terjadi peristiwa tersebut, maka pada bangsa dipusat ibukota Jazirah Arabia, yaitu di Mekkah Almukarromah, terjadi pula hal yang serupa. Dikota tersebut terdapat orang-orang Majusi Persia, penyembah matahari dan api, dan orang-orang Romawi yang beriman kepada ajaran Isa (walau sudah diselewengkan).
Orang Islam dan orang-orang Romawi mengharapkan kemenangan mereka atas orang-orang kafir dan musyrikin, sebagaimana halnya mereka mengharapkan kekalahan orang-orang kafir Mekkah dan orang Persia, sebab mereka merupakan penyembah benda-benda materi. Sementara orang-orang Nasrani, meskipun sebagian dari mereka sudah menyimpang dari ajaran Isa Putra Maryam, adalah merupakan saudara dan sahabat terdekat kaum Muslimin.
“Sesungguhnya kamu dapati orang-orang yang paling keras permusuhannya terhadap orang-orang yang beriman ialah orang-orang Yahudi dan orang-orang musyrik. Dan sesungguhnya kamu dapati yang paling dekat persahabatannya dengan orang-orang yang beriman ialah orang-orang yang berkata:”Sesungguhnya kami ini orang Nasrani”. Yang demikian itu disebabkan karena diantara mereka itu (orang-orang Nasrani) terdapat pendeta-pendeta dan rahib-rahib, (juga) karena sesungguhnya mereka tidak menyombongkan diri.”(QS. 5:82)
Dengan demikian, pertarungan yang terjadi antara orang-orang Persia dan Romawi menjadi lambang luar pertarungan antara orang-orang Islam dan musuh-musuhnya di Mekkah. Maka pada waktu Persia berhasil mengalahkan orang-orang Romawi pada tahun 616 dan berhasil menguasai seluruh wilayah sebelah Timur negara Romawi, orang-orang Musyrikin pun mendapat kesempatan untuk menghina kaum Muslimin dengan mengatakan : “Saudara kami berhasil mengalahkan saudara kamu. Demikian pula yang akan kami lakukan kepadamu jika kamu tidak mau mengikuti kami, meninggalkan agama kamu yang baru (Islam)”
Dalam keadaan yang menyakitkan itu, kaum Muslimin Mekkah sedang dalam kondisi yang paling lemah dan buruk dalam segi materi, sampai kemudian turun wahyu Allah kepada Nabi Besar Muhammad Saw : “Alif Laam Miim. Telah dikalahkan bangsa Romawi, di negeri yang terdekat dan mereka sesudah dikalahkan itu akan menang, dalam beberapa tahun (lagi). Bagi Allah-lah urusan sebelum dan sesudah (mereka menang). Dan di hari (kemenangan bangsa Romawi) itu bergembiralah orang-orang yang beriman, karena pertolongan Allah. Dia menolong siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya. Dan Dialah Yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang. (sebagai) janji yang sebenar-benarnya dari Allah. Allah tidak akan menyalahi janji-Nya, tetapi kebanyakan manusia tidak mengetahui.” (QS. 30:1-6)
Sungguh turunnya wahyu ini kepada Nabi SAW merupakan suatu ujian mental dan Spiritual bagi semua sahabat-sahabat beliau. Jika apa yang dikatakan oleh Nabi Muhammad SAW ini tidak terbukti, maka sudah bisa diramalkan akan kehancuran kepercayaan mereka terhadap diri orang yang selama ini mereka percayai dan mereka kasihi.
Beberapa tahun kemudian, Heraklius membuat suatu rencana yang luar biasa untuk mengalahkan Persia. Heraklius tahu bahwa kekuatan angkatan laut Persia sangat lemah, oleh karena itu dia menyiapkan kapal-kapal untuk menyerang Persia dari belakang. Dia bertolak bersama-sama dengan sisa-sisa pasukannya lewat Laut Hitam ke Armenia, dan melakukan serangan kilat terhadap pasukan Persia. Menghadapi serangan mendadak itu, pasukan Persia tidak mampu bertahan dan lari bercerai berai. Di Asia kecil, Persia memiliki pasukan yang besar. Tetapi Heraklius menyerangnya dengan tiba-tiba dengan kapal-kapal perangnya, dan berhasil menghancurkan pasukan Persia. Setelah memperoleh kemenangan yang besar itu, kembalilah Heraklius keibukota Konstantinopel lewat jalan laut.
Setelah dua peperangan diatas, Heraklius melakukan peperangan yang lain melawan Persia pada tahun 623, 624 dan 625. Akibat peperangan tersebut, pasukan Persia terpaksa menarik diri dari seluruh tanah Romawi, dan Heraklius berada pada pusat yang memungkinkan baginya untuk menembus kejantung kekaisaran Persia. Akhirnya perang yang terakhir terjadi pada bulan Desember 627 disepanjang sungai Dajlah.
Pada waktu Kisra Chorus tidak dapat menahan arus tentara Romawi, ia melarikan diri dari istananya, tetapi kemudian ditahan oleh puteranya ‘Siroes’ dan dimasukkan kedalam penjara. Puteranya ini membunuh 18 orang saudara-saudaranya yang lain didepan mata sang ayah, Kisra Chorus. Pada hari kelima, Kisra meninggal dunia dalam penjara.
Selanjutnya Siroes pun terbunuh oleh salah seorang saudara kandungnya sendiri yang masih hidup. Maka mulailah pembunuhan-pembunuhan dilingkungan istana. Dalam masa 4 tahun, sudah 9 raja yang memegang tampuk pemerintahan. Dalam situasi yang demikian buruk ini, jelas Persia tidak mungkin dapat melanjutkan peperangannya melawan kerajaan Romawi.ย Maka akhirnya Kavadh II, salah seorang putera kisra Chorus yang masih hidup, meminta damai dan mengusulkan pengunduran diri pasukan Persia dari tanah Romawi. Pada bulan Maret tahun 628 M, Heraklius kembali ke Konstantinopel dengan pesta besar-besaran.
Umat Islampun yang mendengar kemenangan saudara-saudaranya para orang-orang Romawi ini melakukan tasbih dan syukur kepada Allah Swt. Semakin mendalamlah keyakinan dan kesetiaan mereka kepada Rasulullah Saw.
Edward Gibbon mencoba memperkecil arti ramalan Al-Qur’an dengan menghubungkannya dengan surat yang dikirim oleh Rasulullah Muhammad Saw kepada Kisra Choros II.ย Tetapi hal ini terbantahkan dengan melihat waktu turunnya ayat tersebut kepada Nabi Muhammad Saw dan umatnya. Surat dari Nabi Saw tersebut dikirim pada tahu ke-7 H, setelah perdamaian Hudaibiah, atau pada tahun 628 M. Sementara Qur’an Surah Ar-Ruum ayat 1-6 yang memuat ramalan tersebut turun pada tahun 616 M, lama sebelum terjadinya Hijrah Nabi dan sahabat-sahabatnya. Jadi antara kedua peristiwa itu terdapat jarak 12 tahun.
“Verily! It is Allah Who causes the seed-grain and the fruit-stone (like date stone) to splitand sprout. ” ( 6:95)
This ayat comes in the beginning of the second half of Surat al-Anโam. This surah was revealed in Makkah. It is one of the longest surahs of the Ever-Glorious Qur’an. It consists of 165 ayats. It was named al-Anโam because of the numerous times this word is mentioned throughout the surah. This surah was uniquely revealed all at once.
Some interpretations by scholars of this Ayat :
a.) According to Mukhtasar Tafsir Ibn Kathir (The abridged edition of the Qurโanic Exegesis by Ibn Kathir) throughout this ayat Allah SWT states that He splits the seed-grains and fruit-stones while they are in the soil. As a result, various types of plants begin to germinate from the seed-grains, whereas fruits of various colors, shapes and tastes germinate from the fruit-stones.
b.) Mukhtasar Tafsir Al-Jalalain (The abridged edition of the Qurโanic Exegesis by Jalal Ad din Assuyuti and Jalal Ad Din Al Mahilli) states that the ayat “Verily! It is Allah Who causes โฆ to splitand sprout” (6:95) means that Allah splits the seed-grain from which plants germinate and the fruit-stone from which (palm) trees germinate.
c.) In his book, Fi Dzhilal Al-Qurโan, (In the Shade of the Qurโan), Sayyid Qutb said :
โLife, its creation and development, is a miracle whose secret no one can know, much less make it. There is a miracle whenever a growing plant splits from a dormant seed-grain and an elongating tree splits from a latent fruit-stone. The potential life of the seed-grain and the fruit-stone along with the growing life of plants and trees is a secret whose reality and source are known only to Allah, the Omniscient, the Omnipotent.
“In spite of all the phenomena and forms of life that human beings had and all the characteristics and phases of life they studied, they are still, like the first human being, unable to reveal the secret of life; they just understand the appearance and functions of life, but they know nothing about its source and essence. Nevertheless, life goes on and the miracle occurs in an instant”.
d.) Safwat Al-Bayan Li-Maโani Al-Qur’an (The Elite Interpretation of the Meanings of the Qur’an) states that, “Verily! It is Allah Who causes the seed-grain and the fruit-stone (like date-stone) to split and sprout” (6:95)embarks on showing the evidence of Allah’s Omnipotence, Omniscience and Wisdom after affirming the evidence of monotheism and Prophethood. โ The author further stated that, โ(Causes โฆ to split) means that Allah splits the lifeless seed-grain, such as that of the buckwheat, causing the green plants to germinate. He, the Almighty, also splits the lifeless fruitstone causing palm trees and other trees to germinate.
The Scientific Implications of the Ayat
Plant seeds have two distinct names in Arabic: habb (seed-grains or pits) and nawa (fruit-stones). The first term, habb, denotes the seeds of the edible crops such as wheat (buckwheat), barley, corn, and oats. All of these crops belong to the vascular flowering plants that have a single cotyledon in the seed. The term also includes the dicotyledonous seeds that can be found in, for example, the leguminous seeds such as beans, okra, chick peas, peas, green beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, lupine, soybeans, peanuts and fenugreek. Moreover, the term can be used to denote inedible seeds such as berseem, cotton, etc.
On the other hand, harder seeds are called nawa. Linguistically, the word โnawaโ can be masculine or feminine. It is mentioned only once in the Ever-Glorious Qur’an. Examples of crops with nawa include: dates, apricots, plums, peaches, olives, etc. Regardless of the nature of the seed coat, whether it is softdelicate, thick-woody, or hard-leguminous, Allah (SWT) enables the embryo to split once it acquires the favorable conditions needed for its germination. This miraculous process, known as โSeed Germinationโ and used by most of the higher forms of plants for reproduction, facilitates the sprouting of the embryonic seed leaf from inside the seed itself.
Seed plants, from which human beings obtain most of their food and nutrition, include more than 250,000 genera of higher forms of plants of different categories. Each genus is represented by an average of at least ten species; each of such species is represented by infinite numbers of individual plants that reproduce through seed dispersal or implantation as much as Allah wills.
All crops which are used as main nutritional sources for man can be called ghalla (produce), a word never mentioned in the Qurโan. The term habb is mentioned in the Qur’an six times in five ayats.
The Nature of Seeds
Seeds are the fertilized ovules of the higher-form plants. Thus, they serve as the reproductive organ for most of these plants. The seed contains an embryo which is temporarily dormant and occupies a very small area of the seedโs size leaving the remaining area for the stored inorganic food. This stored food is essential for the embryo’s germination in its early stages. The root grows downwards penetrating the soil in order to draw water and nutrients. On the other hand, the shoot grows upwards to absorb air and sunlight. Once the green leaves are brought forth, the plant starts the photosynthesis process that provides the food needed to enhance its growth and build up its cells, tissues, flowers, and fruits.
The seed, with its embryo and albumen, is covered by a number of coats to protect it against any external effect. One of the most important coats is the testa, which is formed from the integuments after the fertilization process. The exocarp is formed from the wall of the ovary immediately after fertilization. As the seed matures, it dries and the living embryo within it remains dormant until the surrounding conditions are suitable for germination. The period between the seed’s maturity and viability varies. Sometimes the seeds are viable once they are removed or sprout out of the fruit. If such seeds dry, the embryo may partly lose its vitality or it might die. In some other plants, such as the seeds of the legume family and the stones of many fruits like those of palm dates, the embryo remains vital within the grain or stones for many years. The number of the seeds’ coats, their shape and nature vary between plants. Moreover, there are variations in the shape and size of the embryo, as well as in the way the plants store the food that accompanies the embryo. The food is stored either in a special tissue called the endosperm or in one, two, or more cotyledons. This storage may be floury and amylaceous, hard and leguminous (as in the seed of corn) or cellulosic as in the stones of palm dates.
Splitting the Grain and Stones (Seed Germination)
The coats that protect the seed are often distinct. In some cases, when they fuse with the seedโs wall, these coats canโt be identified. Allah, the Great Creator, provides the embryo of the seed with a limited connection with the outside world through a very tiny circular scar known as the hilum. The hilum is the location that links the seed to the funicle. Under the hilum, there is a narrower opening known as the micropyle. These two openings are covered with a spongy tissue called the aril, which has the ability to absorb water. Moreover, they may take the form of two linear slits, known as the style and the cone. Through these two openings, oxygen, as well as most of the water absorbed by the seed during its germination, passes into the embryo.
The dormant embryo within the seed consists of three main parts: (1) The plumule which will form the shoot system; (2) The radicle which will form the root system; (3) The hypocotyl which will form the stem.
The food, which surrounds the embryo, is stored either in a special tissue known as the endosperm, or in one cotyledon or more. Such food consists of different carbohydrates, proteins, and fats according to the plant type. Monocotyledonous plants with covered seeds include corn, whereas dicotyledonous plants include bean and polycotyledonous plants include conifer which belongs to Gymnospermae. The cotyledon or cotyledons may remain under the soil or spring up. They act as a primary leaves known as cotyledonous leaves.
The Requirements for Seed Germination There are many internal and external requirements for the seed to grow and turn gradually to a seedling and then to a complete plant. This occurs after the period of dormancy the embryo undergoes within the dry seed. The internal requirements are related to the seed itself such as the vitality of the embryo, the maturity of the seed, and the absence of seed decay and rot. In order to become mature, the seed has to be void of growth inhibitors such as abscisic acid. This acid is formed within some seeds to keep the embryo dormantuntil the conditions become favorable and suitable for its germination. Many seeds start to grow only when growth inhibitors are eliminated through heat and light. Growth inhibitors can also be eliminated by antigrowth inhibitors released by the embryo itself within the seed. Glory be to Him Who predestined such processes through His Omniscience and Omnipotence.
The internal requirements also include the ability of the seed to absorb adequate amounts of water and oxygen. Allah, the Creator (SWT) has made tiny openings in the body of the seed for this purpose such as the hilum and the micropyle or the style and the cone. Some types of seeds are covered with a thick outer coat that may prevent the adequate amount of water and oxygen from reaching the embryo except after this coat is torn by going through a series of natural, chemical or microbial activities. It is difficult for such seeds to germinate unless their outer coats are scratched or the seeds themselves are washed and soaked in water for a certain period of time or subjected to light or low temperatures (about five degree Celsius for a period ranging between four to six weeks). Light and low temperatures activate the embryo within the seed and assist in its germination.
Concerning the external requirements, first and most important for germination is the availability of water with suitable specifications. There must also be an adequate amount of water because if water floods the seeds this could spoil them, as the oxygen will not reach the embryo within the seed. Moreover, there must be an adequate amount of oxygen as well as proper heat and lighting because some seeds become active in light, while others prefer darkness.
Changes that Occur to Seeds During Germination
As soon as the internal and external requirements are available for germination, the seed absorbs water, swells, and enlarges. At this point, a complicated series of anabolic and catabolic reactions takes place. Such reactions help the embryo to grow after a period of complete dormancy within the dry seed. Thus, it begins to germinate and repeats the life cycle of the mother seed. This process of germination goes in the following steps :
(1) The seed absorbs water, and gradually becomes filled with water until it swells. As a result, the testa (the hard outer coat of the seed) is torn because of the increased pressure from inside the seed. Accordingly, adequate amounts of water reach the embryo as well as the stored food surrounding it. This helps to activate the stored food chemically and the embryo biologically. (2) The embryo’s secretion of enzymes : The embryo begins secreting some enzymes that are capable of crumbling and anabolism of the surrounding food stored in the cotyledons or in the special tissue. The enzymes carry on the anabolism of the complicated insoluble substances to form simple and soluble substances that the embryo can absorb and use during the early stages of germination. Examples of such enzymes are the following: – Diastase that converts starch to sugar – Protease that breaks proteins down into amino acids. – Lipase that anabolises fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol so that the food store within the seed greatly increases.
(3) The soil’s cracking : One of the most important factors causing the soil to crack is the seeds’ swelling as a result of absorption of adequate amounts of water. When swollen, the seeds generate great power that can hardly be perceived by the human mind. For instance, if we fill a bottle with dry seeds and add the adequate amount of water and close the bottle tightly, the power resulting from the seeds’ germination and the enlargement of their size by the water absorption can shatter the bottle however thick it is. The soil can also be cracked by the extent of thirst its minerals have for water. As a result of absorbing great amounts of water, the minerals expand and rise upwards until the soil is softened and then cracks so as to make room for the plumule extending upwards from the germinating seed. The predominance of argillaceous minerals helps to move the soil particles upwards. These argillaceous minerals take the form of minute laminated sheets reserving gases inside them, so that if water passes through it replaces these gases and pushes them out of the soil. As a result, the particles of the soil move upwards and shake violently until the soil is softened and cracks. Another factor causing the cracking of the soil is the electrical charges found in the argillaceous sheets. Such electrical charges repel with the similar ones found in the bipolar water molecule, consisting of the positive pole of the hydrogen atom and the negative pole of the oxygen atom.
(4) The growth of the embryo’s cells : The embryo’s cells now start to divide and grow until the root stretches downwards and anchors the plant in the soil. Accordingly, the plant is connected to the natural source that provides it with nutrients. Such nutrients are either absorbed by the plant in the form of a sap consisting of elements and compounds dissolved in water or directly extracted by the root system from the soil’s components. Allah SWT gives each plant highly selective abilities in order to select the proper elements and compounds of the soil that are essential for its germination. After the root system is completed, the plumule goes upwards, penetrating the soil’s holes to appear above its surface. Thus, the germinating seed turns into what is called a seedling, which grows gradually higher to become the stem bearing the leaves and buds that form the shoot system. By the end of the process of germination, the seedling finally turns into a complete plant. Blessed be Allah, the Best Creator.
During the germination process, a cotyledon or two may remain under the soil’s surface (surrounded by the torn testa) until the embryo consumes the stored nutrients as happens in the process of germinating pea seeds or the stone of palm dates.
On the other hand, the hypocotyl may grow upwards bringing one or two cotyledons along with the plumule above the soil’s surface. The single cotyledon or both of them would gradually become greener, thus participating in the process of photosynthesis. This participation would continue for a limited period of time until the plumule lengthens and the green leaves appear on it forming the shoot system. The shoot system would carry on the process of photosynthesis. Then the cotyledon would fade away and fall off after consumption of all the nutrients it has.
These complicated processes that take place during the splitting and sprouting of grains and stones can never be done by any creature. Moreover, they cannot take place without the direction and guidance of Allah. For this reason, Allah SWT attributed these two processes directly to Him to honor them. In fact, without these processes, life would not have been possible on earth. Thus, Allah says what can be translated as,
โVerily!It is Allah Who causes the seed-grain and the fruit-stone (like date-stone) to split and sprout. โ (6: 95)
All praises be to Allah for His various blessings, among which is the splitting and sprouting of seed-grains and fruit-stones and foremost of which is the Ever-Glorious Qurโan, which Allah SWT revealed to His final Messenger and Prophet, Muhammad SAW. Furthermore, Allah SWT declared that he would forever preserve the Ever-Glorious Qur’an from any corruption that may occur to its language of revelation, its words or even its letters; consequently the Ever-Glorious Qurโan has maintained the divine glory shining in its ayats as well as the scientific precision presented in its content. This scientific precision serves as a witness to the truth of its revelation and the truth of Muhammad’s prophethood.
To conclude, we cannot but invoke Allah to send His Peace and Blessings upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his household, companions and followers until the Day of Judgment. All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Al Quran mula diturunkan kepada bangsa Arab dalam bahasa arab. Di zaman turunnya, dalam perkembangan bahasa bangsa arab telah sampai kepada tingkat yang tinggi sekali, terutama dalam sastra baik puisi maupun prosa (manzhum dan mantsur). Syair yang lulus dalam sayembara bersyair, digantung di dinding kakbah, dihormati dan dimuliakan karena dipandang puncak keindahan bahasa.
Tetapi setelah Al Quran turun, diatasinya segala perkembangan sastra yang ada saat itu, bahkan dibuatnya lemah ahli ahli sastra bangsa arab, untuk mendatangkan susunan kata dan arti yang seperti Al Quran. Malah di dalam Al Quran itu ada ayat yang menantang kepada mereka (ahli sastra dan bahasa bangsa arab) yang sanggup membuat satu surat pun yang sama mutunya dengan Quran. Kemukakan pula barang satu surat sebagai bandingan. Dan mereka saat itu, bahkan sampai zaman saat ini pun tidak sanggup membuat semisal Al quran.
Tidak dikenal di dalam sejarah zaman lampau bahwa ada mereka yang sanggup, ada segolongan yang mencoba namun gagal, baik dalam susun katanya atau dalam pilihan tiap kata, dan hubungannya dengan kata lain, ataupun sampai kepada makna isinya.
Bertambah tinggi ilmu orang dalam bahasa Arab, sungguhpun sampai kepada zaman sekarang, dari segi seni bahasa dan sastra (yang telah tersusun menjadi Balaghah, Fashahah, ilmu bayan,ilmu badi’, ilmu ma’ani) bertambah terasa letak Al Quran itu tetap di atas dari apa yang dapat dicapai oleh kesanggupan manusia.
Kalau empunya bahasa itu sendiri itu menyatakan bahwa tidak ada kesanggupan manusia menandinginya, usahkan mengatasinya, betapa lagi bangsa yang lain, yang memakai bahasa lain?. Orang Arab walau dia bukan orang islam, apabila mendengar Al Quran mesti terpesona oleh balaghahnya dan terpukau oleh makna yang terkandung di dalamnya, dan tenggelamlah perasaan halus mereka kepada butir kata, susunan, dan gaya bahasa juga kandungan isi Quran.
Seorang ahli bahasa yang besar, sastrawan terkemuka di zaman nabi, yaitu Walid bin Mughirah seketika diminta oleh Abu Jahal, bagaimana kesannya tentang susun kata Al Quran itu telah menyatakan : “Demi Allah, tidak ada dalam kalangan kita yang pandai menilai syair-syair yang Rajaz nya dan Khadid nya sebagaimana saya memahaminya. Namun Demi Allah apa yang diucapkan oleh Muhammad itu tidak dapat diserupakan dengan sembarang syair pun. Ia manis didengar, indah diucapkan, puncaknya menimbulkan buah, dasarnya memancarkan kesuburan. Ia selalu di atas dan tidak dapat diatasi, dan apa yang dibawahnya hancur dibuatnya”
Al Quran merupakan wahyu Allah SWT kepada rosul Muhammad SAW untuk para umat seluruh buana. Sebelum Al Quran diturunkan kepada rosul Muhammad, Allah SWT pernah menurunkan beberapa kitab suci antara lain : Suhuf kepada Ibrahim, Zabur kepada Dawud, Taurat kepada Musa dan Injil kepada Isa, dan pokok-pokok dari kitab suci itu telah tercantum pula pada Al Quran.
Walaupun Al Quran itu mementingkan rukun pokok agama (seperti juga dalam terminologi iman, islam, ihsan) tetapi juga Al Quran berisikan ilmu yang luas cakupannya, berbagai pokok-pokok bahasan Al Quran itu diantaranya :
1. Ilmu untuk mengetahui tentang Tuhan Seru Sekalian Alam (makrifat), bagaimana cara untuk ingat dan mengabdi (ibadah) juga meminta pertolongan kepada Allah Azza wa Jalla.
2. Ilmu bagaimana cara menggunakan akal fikiran (ilmu falsafah), bagaimana menjaga akal fikiran tersebut agar tidak sesat fikir.
3. Ilmu sejarah (babad) peri kehidupan para nabi dan umatnya, bersamaan juga tinggi rendah peradaban budaya umat nabi-nabi tersebut. Seperti misal ada umat yang masih menyembah ibadah kepada hewan, batu di gua-gua terlebih kaitannya dengan ilmu jiwa umat para rosul pada sewaktu itu. Juga diketengahkan sifat orang mukmin, orang yang teguh bertekun, juga orang kafir nifaq dan akibat-akibatnya.
4. Al Quran juga banyak berisikan ilmu tatanegara, bagaimana mengatur pemerintahan (politik), ilmu kemasyarakatan, ilmu dalam menjalani hidup dan mencari penghidupan (ekonomi), ilmu kependidikan (pedagogik), cara-cara musyawarah mengatur perdamaian, persatuan, dan ketentraman.
5. Banyak sekali mengulas ilmu bumi (geografi), ilmu alam, ilmu falak (astronomi), ilmu hayat (biologi), yang semuanya itu menunjukkan bukti keTuhanan
6. Memberi tuntunan bagaimana menjaga keamanan negara, keadilan dan juga dalam perkara pengadilan. Cara memilih pemimpin, juga ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan dengan itu
