SCIENCE AND ISLAM

A day whose length is fifty thousand years?

“By which the angels and the spirits ascend to him, in a day whose length fifty thousand years.”

“The day on which they shall flock up out of their graves in haste, like men who rally to a standard.” (70:4, 42.)

C. ~ If the day equals fifty thousand years in length, the night is bound to be the same. But if this is not the case, the day can never be fifty thousand years in length. Will God, His angels, and those who hold the books of destiny in their hands keep sitting, standing, or walking during all these fifty thousand years? If so, then all these will fall ill and die again. Will the dead rise from their graves and run towards the court of God? And how will summons be sent to them in their graves?

Again, why are those poor people, some of whom are virtuous while others wicked, kept confined to their graves during all this time? Is the court of God closed in these days and are He and His angels sitting idle? What could they be possibly doing? They might (for aught we know) be sitting in their places, wandering about hither and thither, sleeping, or enjoying theatrical performances and dances, and living a life of ease and luxury. Let alone he Kingdom of God, such thing would never happen under the rule of an earthly potentate. Who but savages can believe all these things?

” For He it is who formed you by successive steps. See ye not how God has created the seven heavens one over the other. And He has placed therein the moon as a light, and has placed there the sun as a torch.” (71:14, 16)

C. If God created the soul, it can never be eternal or immortal. How can it then live for ever in paradise when what is created must perish? How can God place one heaven over another, since it is formless and all-pervading? If you give the name of heaven to some thing other than Akaash (ether), it would serve no useful purpose. If heavens are placed one over the other, the sun and the moon cannot be placed between them. If they are placed in their middle, then only those that are immediately above and below will be in light; all others, beginning form the second heaven will be in darkness. But such is not the case, hence all this is wrong.

“It is into God that the temples are set apart: Call not then therein any other with God.” (72:18.)

C. ~ If this is true, why do the Mohammedans mention the name of Mohammad in the formula, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is His prophet.” This is clearly against the teachings of the Qoran, but if it is not so, the verse of the Qoran referred to must be false. If the mosques are the houses of God, then Mohammedans are very idolatrous, since, it the Pauranics (Hindus) and the Jainees are idolatrous, because they call idols the houses of God, why are not Muslims not the same?

The sun and moon together?

“And the sun and the moon shall be together.” (75: 8.)

C. ~Can the sun and moon ever join together? Mark! What senseless talk is this! What purpose is served by joining the sun and the moon, and why should not all worlds be joined together? Can these impossible statements have ever proceeded from God? Surely they cannot be the inventions of any but the unenlightened.

Can the sun be folded up?

“When the sun shall be folded up. And when the stars shall fall. And when the mountains shall be set in motion. And when the Heaven shall be stripped away.” (80: 1 -3, 11.)

C. ~ It is extremely foolish to say that the sun, which is a sphere, will be folded up/ not how will the stars fall, and how will the mountains, which are lifeless, be set in motion? Again, is the sky a beast that it will be stripped away? Only the most ignorant people such as savages can talk like this.

“When the Heaven shall cleave asunder. And when the stars shall disperse. And when the seas shall be commingled. And when the graves shall be turned upside down and raised.” (80: 1 – 4)

C. ~ Bravo! Thou philosophic author of the Qoran! How wilt thou be able to cleave asunder the Heaven and disperse the stars? Are rivers logs of wood that they can be sawn into pieces? Are graves dead bodies that they will be raised? All these things are no better than childish prattle.

“By the star be-spangled heaven! Yet it is a glorious Qoran written on the preserved table.” (85:1, 21.)

C. ~ It is clear that the author of the Qoran had not at all studied Geography and Astronomy, otherwise why would he have compared the sky to a castle having towers? If he calls Aries and the like constellations towers, why does he not give the same name to other stars? There are not towers but suns. If God was the author of this Qoran, He too must indeed be destitute of knowledge and reason, and sunk in the greatest depths of ignorance.

“They practice deceit against thee. And I will practice deceit against them.” (86: 46.)

C. ~ Deceitfulness is synonymous with cheating. Is God, too, deceitful? Is theft to answered by theft and a lie by another lie? If a thief were to break into an honest man’s house, should the latter resort by robbing the former? Bravo! Thou author of the Qoran!

IF THE DEAD WERE RAISED IN THE PAST, WHY NOT NOW.

“So God raiseth the dead to life, and shows you his signs, that per adventure ye may understand.” (2: 67.)

C. ~ If God raised the dead to life (in the past), why does He not do so now? Will they all remain lying in their graves till the day of judgment? Is your God on tour in these days (that He cannot find time to administer justice)? Are these (raising the dead etc.) the only proofs (of the existence) of God? Are not the earth, the sun, and the moon, etc., His signs? Is the wonderful design so manifestly seen existing in the world of no significance?

All things that are a breach to the laws of nature are false

“Moreover, to Moses gave we “The Book” and we, raised up apostles after him; and to Jesus, son of Mary, gave we clear proofs of his mission, and strengthened him by the Holy Spirit. So oft then as an apostle cometh to you with that which your souls desire not, swell ye with pride, and treat some as imposters, and slay others.” (2: 81)

C. ~ When the Qoran bears witness to this that God gave the book of law to Moses, it is incumbent on Mohammedans to believe it. All the defects found therein, will therefore, be regarded as those of the Muslim religion itself. The story of miracles seems to have been connocted with a view to play upon the credulity of simple and ignorant people. All things which are against the laws of nature are false. If miracles could be wrought in those days, why can’t they be done now-a-days? If miracles cannot be worked now, it is certain that none were wrought in days gone by.

“Although they had before prayed for victory over those who prayed not – yet when that Qoran came to them, of which they had knowledge, they did not recognize it. The curse of God is on the infidels!” (2: 83.)

C. ~ You call men professing other religions infidels, while they do the same to you, and their God curses you in the same way. Now will you please tell us which of the two should be considered right and which wrong? On reflection it is clear that there are errors in all creeds.

The author of the Q’uran knew neither Astronomy nor Geography

“Since God bringeth the sun from the East, do thou, then, bring it from the West.” The infidel was confounded; for, God guideth not eh evil doers.” (2: 260).

C ~ O what ignorance! The sun does not rise in the East and set in the West, nor does it rise in the West and set in the East. It moves on its own axis. Now it is positively certain that the author of the Qoran knew neither Astronomy nor Geography. If (the Mohammedan) God does not guide the evil doers, He is not needed at all, for the righteous always walk in the path or rectitude. It is only those who have gone astray that need guidance. It is a great mistake on the part of the God of the Qoran that He has neglected His duty.

“He said, “take thou, four birds and draw them towards thee, and cut them in pieces; then place apart of them on every mountain; the call them and they shall come swiftly to thee.” (2: 262.)

C.~ Now is not the Mohammedan God more like a juggler showing his tricks? Does His God head rest on such things/ the wise will keep aloof from such a God, it is the ignorant alone who will be caught in His trap. (The Mohammedan) God will thus, instead of enhancing His reputation, bring disgrace on Himself.

“But God guideth whom he pleaseth.” (2: 274.)

C. ~ If God guides whom He pleases, He might be misleading other with whom He is not pleased. He alone can be called God and apta (true teacher) who impartially guides all.