Glossary of
    Terms:
    
                    The
    Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, the expression of which is neither poetry nor
    prose, but has its own unique style and rhythm.  It
    has rare beauty and grandeur; it is sublime.  To
    translate such a language into another and retain its spirit, beauty, force, and depth is
    just not possible.  An attempt can be made to
    translate a piece of literature, but when it comes to the Quran, which is a charter of
    human rights—a constitution—one has to be absolutely certain that the actual
    meaning is not lost during the course of translation.
      In addition, each language has its own phrases, idioms, and expressions that
    are specific for its culture and values.  It
    is not possible to translate a concept that exists in one culture into a single word of
    another language that does not even recognize that concept.  This can be illustrated by Persian and Urdu
    translations—they retain Arabic words like kafir, momin, mushrik, rahman, raheem,
    sabr, sawab, salat, zakat, etc.  These
    words were in use before the advent of Islam and so the Arabs knew what they meant.  It is of paramount importance for the reader to
    know the meanings of these words because they convey specific Quranic concepts and a
    simple English translation would either be in Biblical terms, or out rightly contradictory
    to the spirit of the message.  Finally,
    because these words are used repeatedly in the Quran, we have provided a glossary to more
    efficiently explain the concepts in their original form.
                    This
    glossary is based on the following universally recognized dictionaries of the Arabic
    language at the time of the Prophet (PBUH):
- Lane, Arabic—English lexicon
- Lisan-al-Arab
- Taj-ul-Urus
- Muhit-ul-Muhit
- Raghib, Mufridat-al-Quran
DIN—this word has been used in various
    contexts, among them being ascendancy, sovereignty, management, conduct of affairs, ruling
    power, mastership, ownership, exercise of power, code of law, constitution, law of
    requital, an order.  The Quran has described
    Islam as Ad-Din, which is generally translated as religion.
      However, in the light of the above meanings, it should be clear that this is
    not only incorrect, but distorts and negates the very meaning of din.  Islam is not a religion (madhab), and it has never
    been described as one in the Quran.  Islam is
    a way of life, a system, a code of law.  In
    the external universe Islam signifies the Divine Order that governs life and the movement
    of the entire universe.  The whole purpose of
    the Quran is to establish a universal order based on the Divinely ordained values of life.  This is ad-din.
MADHAB—literally means way or course.  This word does not appear in the Quran and in
    Islamic fiqh it stands for “school of thought”.
      It is usually translated as religion, and since Islam is described as a
    religion in English, the word madhab has come into use for it in Urdu as well.  This is a fundamental fallacy—it goes against
    the very essence of Islam, which is a din, not a madhab.
HAQQ (and BAATIL)—usually translated as
    truth or right.  According to Lane, its
    primary significance is the state of being just, righteous, truthful, real or factual;
    established or confirmed so as to be undeniable.  These
    meanings make it clear that haqq does not fall into the domain of ideas or thoughts;
    rather, it stands for constructive results of beliefs which manifest themselves in
    tangible form and are in harmony with the changing needs of the times.  No belief or theory relating to this world can be
    described as haqq unless its truth is established by a positive manifestation of its
    constructive potential.  These results are
    permanent and unchanging.
                                    The
    antithesis of haqq is batil.  This does not
    merely stand for ideas or actions with destructive potential, but includes all thinking
    and conduct that do not lead to positive results.  As
    haqq means something that is real and true, batil refers to something that may be
    imaginary and/or false.
EIMAN—to be convinced, to accept, to
    rely on, or to have confidence in something.  This
    is usually translated as belief or faith, which implies acceptance without proof or
    argument, and without reference to reason, thought, knowledge, or insight.  Faith is generally regarded as the negation of
    knowledge and reason.  It has been said about
    Kant that, “he found it necessary to deny knowledge in order to make room for faith.”
                                    According
    to the Quran, however, Eiman is not just belief, it is, in fact, what Kant calls
    knowledge.  Eiman is synonymous with
    conviction and it is based on reason and knowledge.  The
    Quran does not recognize belief that involves blind acceptance.  It is true that Islam does include acceptance of
    certain things that cannot be explained through sense perception, but there is no reason
    to assume that these things do not exist.  In
    fact, our reason and thinking would compel us to recognize the existence of such things.  Eiman, according to the Quran, signifies
    conviction based on full mental acceptance and intellectual satisfaction.  It gives one a feeling of amn—inner
    contentment and peace (notice that these words have a common root).  Thus, Eiman means to believe, admit, or accept
    something, to testify to its truthfulness, to have confidence in and to rely on that
    belief, and to bow in obedience.  
There are five fundamental facts
    stated in the Quran that one must accept in order to be a Muslim: belief in 1) Allah, 2)
    the law of mukafat and the afterlife, 3) angels (malaika), 4) the
    revelations, and 5) the messengers.  Belief in
    Allah means not only to profess obedience but also to show it through one’s actions.  Belief in the law of mukafat means to have
    conviction that every action has an inescapable consequence or reward.  Angels are not the winged creatures so popularly
    depicted, but heavenly forces that carry out the laws of Allah governing the universe.  They figuratively bow to Allah since they follow
    His orders, and they “bow” to mankind because we are able to study, manipulate,
    and conquer them.  Belief in the revelations
    and messengers implies not only believing in the historical details but also acknowledging
    that human intellect alone cannot safely reach the final destination of life; that
    guidance in the form of wahi delivered by the messengers is necessary to progress.
                                    Therefore,
    a momin is one who has firm conviction and trust in the prevailing laws of the universe as
    well as the laws revealed through wahi.  He/she
    accepts the truth in such a way that ensures his/her own peace and helps to safeguard the
    peace and security of humankind.  Al-momin is
    indeed one of the characteristics of Allah.
KUFR—this is the negation of Eiman.  It means to deny the truth, or to defy the laws of
    Allah.  The root means to cover or conceal.  Kufr means open denial, not hypocrisy.  A kaafir has the decency to proclaim
    his/her beliefs, and so is not as damned as the hypocrite.
      The definition also includes concealing or withholding the means of
    subsistence that Allah has created for the good of all humankind, which are supposed to be
    freely available to everyone.
JAHANNAM—usually translated as hell,
    this word has been inadequately described in English terms.
      It is a Hebrew compound of the words ji and hinnum; meaning
    the valley of Hinnum.  This was a famous
    valley situated in the south of Jerusalem where people were burned alive as a sacrifice to
    the idol Moloch.  Jahannum, therefore, denotes
    a situation in which humanity is ruined.  In
    Arabic, the word jaheem means to prevent; that is, its denotes a condition in which
    human evolution is prevented and life begins to stagnate instead of progressing.  It is also a miser who prevents wealth from
    circulating.  According to the Quran, life
    manifested itself in the human form after having gone through various stages of evolution.  This is the final link in the evolution of life in
    this world.  But life does not end with death;
    it continues beyond the dissolution of the physical body.
      The higher life that the developed personality is capable of living is
    called jannah.  On the other hand, the
    not-so-developed personality thwarts its own future and lives in the infernal state of
    stagnation called jahannum.
                                    Jannah
    and jahannum do not stand for places or localities; they denote different conditions of
    human life that have been described metaphorically.  It
    should be clear that these conditions do not only relate to life in the hereafter—they
    have their beginnings in this world.  A
    social order based upon Quranic foundations results in a heavenly situation: the
    necessities of life are available in excess and are secured in decent ways befitting human
    dignity.  This brings true happiness and
    peace of mind.  In contrast, a society based
    on laws other than Allah’s will invariably lead to misery and collapse as has been so
    abundantly illustrated throughout history.
RABB—usually translated in English as
    lord.  This is actually opposite in meaning to
    the true essence of the word.  Rabb means one
    who enables something to grow and develop, eventually fulfilling its potential; to bring
    something to perfection.  Nothing in the
    universe starts out being perfect; everything is born with potential that, when
    actualized, enables that object to become what it was designed to be—including
    humans.  We are endowed with manifold
    potentialities that enable us to rise to the highest point of human existence when fully
    developed.  According to Arabic lexicons, Rabb
    means one who looks after something and beautifies it, keeps something in place, and
    continuously provides nourishment.  The
    natural result of nourishment is greenery and growth; thus, evergreen trees (that maintain
    their greenery year round) are called al-ribbatu.
      
The process by which one fulfills
    his/her potential is called rububiyat.  The
    Quran seeks to establish a social order under which the latent potential of every
    individual can be fully realized.  This
    realization will include the sustenance and growth of one’s body as well as one’s
    mental and spiritual potential.  This kind of
    social system is called the rububiyat order, and its establishment is the ultimate purpose
    of the deen of Islam.
TAQWA—the common English equivalent,
    piety, does not express the real meaning of the word.
      Deviation from the right path leads human beings to ruin; taqwa is the act
    of keeping them on the right path.  Merely
    saving oneself from ruin is a negative virtue, and the Quran emphasizes the positive
    aspect of life.  Therefore, taqwa means not
    only saving oneself from destructive forces, but also stabilizing one’s personality
    through preservation and enforcement of the laws of Allah—in other words, taking a
    step in the right direction.  Waqa
    means to protect something from harm; in verse 2/24 Allah exhorts us to protect ourselves
    from the fire (fattaqun naar).  A very
    illustrative example is of someone walking through a thorn bush.  The thorns represent destructive forces that are
    ready to snag at the clothing of someone walking through.
      Those who have taqwa will save themselves from these thorns by gathering
    their clothes and walking carefully so that they do not get scratched by the thorns.  Ittaqullah has been used numerous times in
    the Quran and means to follow and remain in harmony with the laws of Allah.  In verse 5/2 it has been used as an antonym of
    udwan, or rebellion, disobedience.
                                    Muttaqi
    (pl. muttaqeen) is a person who leads a life of taqwa, eschewing things that are
    injurious to their personalities and espousing the laws of Allah.
INTRODUCTION
                   The capacity to acquire knowledge makes human beings the most
    superior of creations.  But what is knowledge?  Who is entitled to be called a knowledgeable
    person (ulema)?  What is the Quranic point of
    view on this?  Before dealing with these
    fundamental questions, let us look at the historical perspective.
                    In
    the world of knowledge, the ancient Greek philosophers enjoyed a highly distinguished
    position.  In fact, the history of humanity
    traces the beginning of knowledge and wisdom to ancient Greece.  Socrates and Plato are the most prominent among
    the philosophers, and Socrates is considered the grandfather of all Greek philosophers.  Plato, besides being Socrates’ student, is
    the founder of an entirely new school of thought.
                    For
    Socrates, human beings were the only object of study while the universe was of no
    consequence.  Plato went one step further and
    denied the very existence of the universe.  For
    him, the real world was the “world of ideas” and the material world was only a
    shadow of the real world.  Since the
    perceivable world was not real, any knowledge gained from its study would also be unreal,
    and thus unreliable.  Plato believed in the
    abstract only, and denied the concrete.
                    The
    Greek view of knowledge was mostly subjective, i.e., it belonged to human consciousness or
    the perceiving ego, and there was no objective test of the truth.  There is no doubt that the ancient world produced
    some great philosophies at a time when human beings were comparatively primitive and
    governed more or less by suggestion.  But we
    must not forget that these theories were the work of abstract thought, which cannot go
    beyond the systemization of vague religious beliefs and traditions, and they give us no
    insight into concrete situations of life. 
MYSTICISM
                    This
    Platonic philosophy ultimately became the basis of Greek mysticism.  Later on, the same philosophy took the form of
    Vadantic Theory (Hindu mysticism) in India.  According
    to this philosophy, the world is nothing but an illusion (“maya”), or a dream
    dreamt by the god Brahma, or a drama (“leela”) being played out by the god
    Ishwar.  Everything is a stage show,
    artificial and unreal.  There is actually one
    Hindu god by the name of Nat Rajan, or the actor king.
                    This
    philosophy created a negative mental attitude towards the material world that caused many
    religious people to start despising it.  Later
    on, this same philosophy found its way into Muslim thought, via Persian mysticism.  Under its effect, the forward looking and
    progressive Muslim nation was brought to a miserable standstill.
                    The
    attitude of people towards the world before the revelation of the Quran was that this
    universe is unreal, an illusion, and any knowledge concerning it is presumption. 
THE QURANIC CHALLENGE
The Quran challenged those speculative philosophies and
    demolished the very basis of Platonic theory:
“The creation of whatever is in the heights and depths of
    the universe and all that is in between is not without purpose.  It is presumption on the part of Unbelievers who
    think the universe is not real.  The result of
    denying such a great truth will be that all their efforts and achievements in life will
    end up in smoke.”  (38:27)
 The
    Quran uprooted the centuries old philosophy and brought to light the dehumanizing effects
    of this false concept.  Here it is very
    important to note that those who believe the universe is not real and have a negative
    attitude towards it are referred to as Unbelievers by the Quran.  It demarcates the Believers from the Unbelievers.
                    The
    Quran states that the negative attitude towards the material world brings hardship to
    human beings.  Mysticism is the exemplar of
    such an attitude; instead of recognizing this world as a happy and vibrant place full of
    possibilities, mystics view it as a massive jailhouse in which inmates are serving time.
                    To
    reject the claim of those for whom the creation of the universe is merely a drama, the
    Quran says, “The creation of the heavens and the Earth and that which is between them
    is not a game.” (21/16)  The creation is
    real.  However, Allah does not expect these
    claims to be accepted without any scrutiny or investigation; on the contrary, these claims
    are based on reason and should be judged on the basis of discernment and insight.  This is why “there are well explained facts
    for those who have knowledge.”  (10/5) 
THE QURANIC
    DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE
                    Now
    the next logical question arises: what is knowledge?
      The Quran says, “Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.  The hearing and sight and the heart—all of
    them shall have to answer whether personal inquiry was made concerning the matter.”  (17/36)  The
    words hearing and seeing refer to human senses and the Arabic word heart is also used to
    mean the mind.  The following example
    illustrates the point of this verse:  you hear
    a gunshot.  It is followed by a scream and
    moans of pain.  When you go to see what
    happened you discover that your best friend has been shot and you are consumed with
    feelings of vengeance towards the shooter.  In
    this situation your feelings are backed by your first hand knowledge of the events.  On the other hand, if you do not hear a gunshot
    and you do not see your injured friend, but you are consumed with hate anyway for some
    person you think may have committed a crime, you are acting on hearsay and not knowledge
    because your senses and mind were not involved in arriving at the conclusion.  Thus the Quran strikes at the Platonic philosophy
    once again.  Plato said that knowledge gained
    through the senses is not reliable, whereas the Quran is saying that anything not verified
    by the senses and mind cannot be regarded as knowledge.
      This shows how valuable sense-perception is in Islam.  The Quranic concept of knowledge is objective and
    the knowledge of the non-ego is superior to that of the ego.  The revelation of the Quran marked the birth of
    inductive intellect.  Inductive reason alone
    allows the human being to become master of his/her environment.  Islam has created and fostered the spirit of
    critical observation of outer experience by divesting the forces of nature of that divine
    character with which the earlier culture had clothed them.
      The important thing to note is that the Quran, for purposes of knowledge,
    fixes its gaze on the concrete and finite.  It
    is also abundantly clear that the birth of the method of observation and experimental
    science in Islam was due not to a compromise with Greek thought but to a prolonged
    intellectual warfare with it. 
THOSE WHO DO NOT
    USE THEIR SENSES
In view of the importance given to human
    senses and the mind, the Quran declares in the clearest terms that people who do not use
    their senses and their minds are not living their lives on a human level.  They are in fact living on an animalistic level
    and are admonished:  “Many among human
    beings have adopted a lifestyle that will lead them to hell.  They have a mind but do not use it to think and
    reflect.  They have eyes but do not see.  They have ears but cannot hear.  They are not human beings and are even worse than
    animals.  They are neglectful.”  (7/179)  This
    verse also indicates that knowledge is only that which can be explained by the senses and
    the mind.  Intangible, abstract matters have
    nothing to do with the senses.  Observation of
    natural phenomena and the study of the universe, experimentation to discover the laws of
    creation, maintenance, and workings of the components of the universe are the applications
    of sense-perception.  In modern terminology
    this is called scientific knowledge.  As the
    Quran states, the pursuit of such knowledge is the duty of all believers (momineen). 
THE FOLLOWERS OF
    ALLH’S LAWS
                    The
    Quran emphasizes the observation and study of natural phenomena and the laws of the
    universe.  “In the creation of the
    heavens and the earth and the alteration of the night and day there are signs for people
    of understanding.”  (3/189)  These people are those who “whatever
    condition they are in, keep Allah’s laws in sight.
      They ponder the creation of the heavens and earth and after thorough
    observation and experiment, they declare on the basis of reason that O Sustainer!  You did not create this universe in jest.”  (3/190)
                    Here,
    as on other occasions, the Quran states something of paramount importance.  It claims that nothing in the universe has been
    created without a purpose.  There is nothing
    in the universe that is useless or that does not benefit mankind in some way.  Lack of knowledge on the part of humans makes it
    seem as though there are pointless creations, and as a result of this ignorance all of
    mankind suffers.  Thus, it is the duty of
    Muslims to substantiate this Quranic claim based on research and investigation.  This is no easy task, and requires a vast network
    of laboratories and scientists and continuous research.
      However, people who make the effort will learn the laws that will enable
    them to conquer the forces of nature whereas those who do not will eventually lag behind
    and become weak and vulnerable. 
SIGNS OF ALLAH
                    As
    mentioned above, it is the duty of the Muslim ummah to understand the laws of nature and
    utilize them for the benefit of mankind.
“There are signs for the believers in
    the heavens and the earth.  In creation, and
    all the animals that He scattered on the earth are portents for the believers; and in the
    alteration of night and day and the sustenance sent down by the sky that revives the earth
    after its death, and in the change of winds are hints for those who have sense.  These are the revelations we have presented to you
    in truth.  For those who will reject, what
    other truth can convince them?” (45/3-6) 
                    Allah
    has stated in unambiguous terms that belief in Him comes through the study of nature and
    its laws.  If studying natural law does not
    lead one to believe in Allah, then nothing else can.
      This astounding declaration illustrates the importance of studying natural
    phenomena.  Real belief based on reason can
    only be achieved through this method. 
SEEING ALLAH
                    Saying
    that Allah “reveals Himself” through natural phenomena is not a flight of fancy.  The Quran explains this as well as the goal of
    human life and the purpose of following the laws of Allah.
      Everyone wants to “meet” or “find” Allah.  The Quran says, “Allah is He who raised the
    heavens without any visible support, firmly in charge of the central control.  He has subjected the sun and moon (to His laws),
    each one runs its course for an appointed time.  He
    regulates all affairs, explaining things in detail, that you may believe with certainty in
    meeting your Rabb.”  (13/2)  The Quran describes the setup of the universe and
    follows by saying that meeting with Allah is possible.
      It indicates that if you want Allah to reveal himself to you then you have
    to study the universe, scrutinize every object in it, and through observation and
    experiment, discover the laws governing this system.
      Thus all the mysteries of Nature will be unlocked one by one and you will
    gain insight into how Allah is sustaining this universe.
      This is what meeting and “seeing” Allah means.  As far as the entity of Allah is concerned, He is
    beyond the comprehension of human minds, let alone sense-perception.  Seeing or meeting Him does not refer to the
    physical sense, it means gaining knowledge of how the universe functions and is regulated
    by Him.  It is clear that according to the
    Quran, only those who observe natural phenomena can know how Allah runs the universe.  It is a long, arduous process which sometimes
    requires scaling the highest peaks of the Himalayas, diving to the bottomless depths of
    the Atlantic, bearing the scorching heat of the Saharan dessert, and doing research in the
    bone chilling cold of the North Pole.  This
    kind of research is only carried out by those who are not satisfied with what they know at
    present; those who look beyond the horizon and strive for more knowledge.  The Quran says, “Verily, in the alteration of
    the night and day, and in all that Allah has created, in the heavens and the earth are
    signs for those who are devoted believers (muttaqeen).”  (10/6) 
WHO ARE THE
    DEVOTED BELIEVERS (MUTTAQEEN)
                    The
    verse mentioned above describes the muttaqeen.  It
    goes on to say, “Those who expect not the meeting with Us, but desire the life of
    this world and feel secure therein, and those who are neglectful of our revelations are
    doomed people because of their negligence.”  (10/7)  These verses offer a cause for the cyclical rise
    and fall of nations.  Those who are satisfied
    with the status quo and do not strive for improvement and a better future are devoid of
    thought and action; they fall from grace and are left far behind in the struggle of life.  In contrast, those nations that work hard to
    develop new inventions and make new discoveries surge far ahead.  Because of their initiative and well directioned
    hard work, nature rewards them by revealing its hidden treasures. 
A LIFE OF
    DEPRIVATION
                    “Those
    who disbelieve in Allah’s revelations and in their meeting with Him, such are
    deprived of the means of sustenance—an extreme penalty.”  (29/23)  In
    this verse, being deprived of the amenities of life is considered a great penalty.  For example, rivers of petroleum flowed under the
    desserts of Arabia but the people were content with their meager existence.  They did not have the will, desire, or the
    knowledge to find and utilize this hidden gift of nature.
      As a result they were dependant on others for even the most basic of
    necessities.  Western nations made the effort
    to discover and start pumping the hidden petroleum, and as a result the people of the
    region benefited and became prosperous.  Many
    countries have great potential, but their people are happy with the status quo and prefer
    whatever is easily available, so nothing motivates them to work harder.  As a result they are always one step behind, and
    in many cases dependant on, other nations.  On
    the other hand, there are European nations with very little land but with so much
    production capabilities that they not only provide for local needs but they even manage to
    export surplus food.  This is due to the fact
    that they are perpetually laboring in accordance with the laws of nature in order to take
    advantage of its hidden treasures.  It is a
    divine law that the livelihoods of those who eschew the laws of Allah continuously
    diminish (20/124).  This law is universal and
    there are no exceptions.  Muslims have been
    shunning this law for centuries; as if this were not enough, we also have not put our
    senses to proper use and have been thus divested of these faculties.  We have fallen into the category of those people
    whose “hearts, ears, and eyes have become useless, and they do not take heed.”  (16/108)
                    Some
    people think that “meeting Allah” means being accountable to Him for our deeds
    after our death.  Though in the context of the
    above mentioned verses this meaning is not appropriate, the fact remains that in order to
    believe in a meeting with Allah, observation and study of natural phenomena is vital.  Life after death and accountability for actions is
    an essential part of our belief. 
PROOF
                    In
    the above paragraphs the Quran has explained that:
i) Knowledge is only that which can be verified by the human senses
    and mind,
ii) Use of the senses means to observe natural phenomena, study the
    laws of nature, carry out consistent research, and experience the revelation of Allah’s
    laws that run the universe and provide systematic sustenance, growth, and development.
Such practice is the hallmark of believers
    in general and the duty of muttaqeen in particular.  This
    is zikr-o-fikr i-khudawandi, or following the laws of Allah.  This behavior brings to light the hidden secrets
    of the universe and on the basis of knowledge we can say to our Rabb, “You did not
    create anything in vain.”
This is not all that must be done.  Allah has stated that there is testimony to the
    truth of Quranic claims in the form of signs provided by Him in the universe.  “We will show them our signs in the farthest
    regions of the earth, and in their own minds until it becomes manifest that this is the
    Truth.”  (41/53)  As an aside, when the entanglements of truth in
    the intricacies of time can be sorted out through human knowledge and effort, only then
    will these claims become manifest.  In this
    verse the word anfus (internal world) is mentioned along with afaq (external
    world), which shows that science is not confined to the laws of physics but encompasses
    all the social sciences as well, the latter of which have to be developed by practical
    research.  History, psychology, and sociology
    are important in this distinction.  With the
    passage of time the physical and social sciences will continue to reveal and confirm the
    claims made by the Quran.  This is obvious
    since the Quran is the book of Allah and He sees everything all the time.  “Is it not enough that Allah oversees all
    things.”  (41/53)  Whatever He reveals about the universe and objects
    within it is based on fact and is not a presumption.  “Say,
    the Quran was revealed by Him who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth.”  (25/6)
It will be fitting to mention a book named
    The Great Design.  A questionnaire was
    sent to a large number of scholars around the world asking whether each one felt that the
    universe was functioning according to a definite system, or whether it came into being
    accidentally and is being governed similarly.  The
    answers were compiled into the above-mentioned book without any review or editing.  All of the scholars reached the same conclusion
    based on their individual fields of research: that this universe is functioning in
    accordance with an established order designed by an all-knowing creator.  They appreciate the order and discipline of the
    system but being oblivious of the Quran, cannot correctly identify the entity that is
    running such a harmonious and efficient system.  However,
    they are observing His great system of sustenance (Rabubuiyat) personally.  With such a foundation it would be easy for these
    kind of scholars to discover the truthfulness of the Quran if someone presented it to
    them.
Maurice Bucaille, in his book The
    Bible, the Quran and Science, discusses various Quranic claims that are verified by
    modern scientific research.
People who have been unaware of these
    signs in the universe have their doubts about seeing proof of Allah.  In fact they would not have to go very far to do
    so; the study of any object in the universe can provide evidence for the workings of Allah’s
    laws.  The rabubiyat order is not tied to any
    one thing but encompasses the whole of the universe: “Indeed, are they in doubt
    concerning the meeting with Allah?  It is He
    who controls all things.”  (41/54) 
WHO ARE SCHOLARS
    (THE ULEMA)
                    We
    have so far seen the Quranic definition of knowledge.
      By knowing this it is easy to figure out who, according to the Quran, is a
    knowledgeable person and what the term actually means.
      The Quran has even explained this fact so there is no confusion: 
“Did you not ponder the rain that
    Allah caused to fall from the sky, with which we produce fruit of diverse colors; and
    among the mountains there are layers of red and white which differ in shade and type, some
    being dark in color.  Similarly, humans and
    animals are of different colors and kinds.  Among
    the followers of Allah and knowledgeable persons (ulema) are those who are awestruck by
    the greatness of Allah.”  (35/27-28) 
                    These
    two verses deal with different parts of the universe, different branches of nature, and
    different fields of science.  Physics, botany,
    zoology, and the humanities are all touched upon.  The
    knowledgeable persons are awestruck because their insight has convinced them of His power
    and Wisdom in controlling the universe perfectly.  The
    Quran has referred to those people as ulema, and in modern terminology they are called
    scientists.  These are the people who study
    nature and after observation and consistent experimentation, conquer the forces of nature.  Allah has put the forces of nature under our
    control, but only those who know the laws can manipulate these forces.  The only way to become one of the ulema is to
    acquire this knowledge. 
THE ULEMA
    (MULLAHS)
                    After
    learning the Quranic definition of ulema, it is an interesting exercise to compare our
    current ulema with it.  They do not know the
    fundamentals of natural sciences, and their knowledge is limited to theoretical
    discussions and verbal emendations.  These
    discussions are mostly related to issues that have no bearing on the universe or the
    practical life of people.  The curriculum of
    religious schools is spread over ten years during which students study logic, philosophy,
    rhetoric, grammar, literature, etc, most of which is outdated.  They also learn about astronomy, geometry, and
    arithmetic, which are also outdated.  It is
    curious to note that the study of the Quran is not included in the curriculum.  A certain exegesis (Jilalain) is taught that
    consists of only synonyms of the Quranic words.  In
    the last year of study an exegesis of the second chapter of the Quran is taught (Bazadi).  This is the education upon completion of which
    they receive certification for becoming an aalim (knowledgeable person).  Here is a case in point to illustrate just how
    much knowledge these people have:
                    When
    the use of loudspeakers was introduced in India before 1947, a fatwa was sought on their
    use for religious purposes.  The president of
    the organization of ulema, Mufti Kafayat-ullah, wrote: 
“The device, about which the opinion
    has been sought, has not been seen but it is heard that such a device, when it is placed
    in front of an orator and he speaks while facing it, the device absorbs the sound and then
    broadcasts it to such a distance that the sound would not reach even a quarter of the
    distance without the help of the device.”  (Naqeeb,
    10 Nov. 1941) 
The Mufti then gave his verdict in favor
    of the use of loudspeakers.  However, another
    aalim, Mufti Mohammad Shafee, a senior teacher in the religious academy of Deoband,
    published a verdict in a magazine in which the use of the devices for prayer was declared
    unlawful.  He wrote that he did not know the
    nature of the device and how it worked.  He
    sought information from the science teacher, Mr. Brij Nandan Lal of Alexander High School
    of Bhopal, and the teacher said, “Because of the use of electrical power I am
    hesitant to believe that the sound is original, and find it hard to deny it either because
    to prove otherwise is equally difficult.”  After
    this “exhaustive research” and on the basis on conjecture from a non-Muslim, a
    Muslim aalim decided that it was the decree of Allah and His prophet to forbid the use of
    loudspeakers.  This illustrates nicely how
    ignorant the ulema are in matters natural and modern science; it is ironic that they still
    retain the ability to issue verdicts (fatwas) on them, however.  In Pakistan not only is the expression of personal
    opinions a target, but law making has fallen victim to the same ignorant judgments. 
CLARIFICATION OF A
    MISUNDERSTANDING
                    From
    the various explanations so far it is evident that, according to the Quran, the Mumineen,
    Muttaqeen, those who abide by and keep Allah’s laws in sight, and those who have
    faith and long to “meet” with Allah, are people who study the universe and
    perform practical research on the objects therein as well as the forces of nature.  The experience thus gained is called knowledge,
    and the Quran calls those who have this knowledge ulema.
                    At
    this point it comes to mind that European and North American nations are not Mumin and
    Muttaqi in the true sense of the words.  While
    it is very important to acquire scientific knowledge, it is wrong to assume that just by
    doing so one can become a Mumin or Muttaqi.  The
    critical factor is whether one uses the information according to the laws of Allah.  So, there are two conditions in becoming a Mumin:
    to gain knowledge from nature, and to use it according to the injunctions of Allah.  The Quran demands that “its system be
    accepted in its totality.”  (2/208)  A nation that does not meet both of these criteria
    cannot be Mumin, and since Muslims fail regarding the first condition, we cannot claim to
    be Mumin.  In addition, if we do not have
    knowledge of the forces of nature, we will not be able to use them as Allah has advised in
    the Quran.  In contrast, Western nations do
    not fulfill the second criterion; thus, on a practical level, Muslims and western
    non-Muslims are in the same position.  
                    In
    order to use the forces of nature in accordance with Allah’s laws it is absolutely
    necessary to study the Quran because these laws are contained within it.  Those who are firmly grounded in knowledge conduct
    affairs of the state according to Allah’s injunctions because they know “if any
    fail to judge by the light what Allah has revealed, they are no better than the
    unbelievers.”  (5/44)  As a result of rejecting the Quran, human society,
    in spite of its prosperity, turns its environment into a living hell.  This progressive demise is evident in western
    culture.  Despite all their scientific prowess
    they cannot find the right solution to human problems.
      Their senses and mind are not helping them, and about these kinds of nations
    the Quran says, “And we had firmly established them in prosperity and power.  And we endowed them with hearing, sight, a heart,
    and intellect.  But of no avail to them were
    their faculties when they went on rejecting the commandments of Allah, and they were
    encircled by that which they used to mock.”  (46/26)
                    If
    Western nations use the forces as well as the rewards of nature in Allah’s cause, the
    hell through which all of humanity is suffering would be transformed into a much sought
    after paradise.  Those who are satisfied with
    the status quo and do not act according to Allah’s law of Rububiyat live a damned
    life.  In contrast, people who have firm
    belief in the word of Allah and work constructively within Allah’s system are on the
    right path and enjoy gardens of lush verdure.  They
    are concerned for each other’s well being and recognize that the universe has not
    been created in vain.  Such a society will
    continue to expand until it encompasses the whole of humanity, and at that time everyone
    will acknowledge that Allah’s system of universal sustenance is superlative.
CONCLUSION
                If we Muslims
    want to shape our society according to the Quran, then we must become competent
    researchers and scientists in every field of knowledge.
      Through observation and experiment in both the internal world (anfus) and
    external world (afaq), the forces of nature can be harnessed and then the rewards amassed
    can be used and distributed according to the laws given in the Quran.  Only people with these characteristics are
    qualified to be called ulema.  If we continue
    to hold our current distorted view of knowledge in Islam, not only will meeting with Allah
    be impossible, but we will not even be included in the category of living nations. 
 
 
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