Magnificence Everywhere (1/15)

Introduction

For a moment, think about the things you do when you wake up in the morning. You open your eyes, breathe, straighten up, stand up and walk, eat and put on your clothes. You talk to your loved ones and hear what they say to you. Then, you go out or look outside through the window and see the deep blue sky. You might even hear the singing of birds flying outside the window. Watching a leaf falling down, you notice ripe apples on the tree. You feel the warmth of the sun and the wind on your face. There are people in the street, walking or trying to go somewhere in their cars. In short, another ordinary day has begun for you. What you see and hear are all ordinary things, so you don't feel it necessary to think consciously about them.

Now, try thinking another way. Assume that you have lived in one room since you were born. This room is completely bare without even a small window through which you could see outside. It is furnished with only a few pieces of plain furniture for your basic needs. Suppose that, in this room where you lead your life, you are provided with just a few kinds of food and drink necessary for you to survive. Let's assume that there is no communications equipment in the room, such as a telephone, radio or television, which would enable you to receive information from the outside. Therefore, you will be ignorant of all but a handful of things.

Then imagine that you are taken out of this room where you have lived all your life and you see the outside world for the first time. In such a situation, what would you think of the world?

The broadness of the vista reaching your eyes, the existence of light, the warmth of the sun striking your face, the deep blue color of the sky and the pure white clouds-all of this will certainly dazzle you.

Twinkling stars appearing in the sky at night; mountains reaching to the sky in all their magnificence; rivers, beautiful to all mankind; lakes and seas; the heavy rain which brings life to the Earth; green trees, colorful violets, daisies, carnations, lilacs and roses, with their pleasant aromas; oranges, watermelons, plums and peaches, each of them providing a distinctive taste; cats, dogs, rabbits and gazelles, which arouse our feelings of compassion; butterflies with their dazzling colors and aesthetic appeal; birds and undersea creatures…

When you see all these things, you become dazzled and wonder who has put such wondrous phenomena together. Seeing the color of the fruits and breathing in their scents, you wonder who has dyed them so alluringly and given them such pleasant perfumes. Tasting a melon or taking a bite out of an apple, you observe how exquisite and varied their flavors are and wonder how this sugary substance is placed within an object wrapped in such a firm skin. Seeing the fruits' seeds arranged in a definite order, you want to know who has fashioned their design.

Every new thing you see and every piece of information you learn arouses new excitement in you. You try to learn the reason and origin of everything. You learn that melons need their seeds in order to reproduce, birds have to have their feathers for flight, light is emitted from the sun, and oxygen and water are needed for the survival of all living things. You learn the importance of the existence of the seas and the oceans, the fact that all sorts of information about plants is encoded in their seeds, as well as many other fascinating details. Every piece of information you learn enables you to comprehend this magnificence even more.

In addition, when you become aware that what you've begun to learn constitutes only a tiny portion of the characteristics of the living things which exist on Earth, that in fact everything works interdependently, that there are creatures you cannot see and voices you cannot hear, and that magnificent systems in the universe exist, your astonishment will grow even further.

As you learn these detailed pieces of information one-by-one, your mind will pose the same questions repeatedly: How have all these magnificent living things come into existence? How have I myself come into being? Since everything has a purpose, then why am I here?

When you emerge from the room you've spent so many years in, since you will discover a varied and magnificent vista of creation upon the Earth, you will ponder and look for answers to your questions. Every answer to your questions will contain this statement: "Certainly, there is a Being making all these things." As you are not hobbled by an indolent mind and do not observe your surroundings from behind a curtain of habit, you will surely come to the conclusion that everything has been created by a Creator. Indeed, what man needs to do is exactly this: look at things not from habit, but through asking questions…

Just as there is a designer who made the steel bridges we cross every day, there is a designer who designed our bones whose strength has been compared to steel. No one can claim that raw iron and coal can be mixed with each other to form steel by chance, and again that steel can be combined with cement to build bridges in the same way. Everyone knows that the judgment of a man claiming such things is to be doubted.

However, in spite of this fact, there are people who dare to claim that all living things on Earth, the sky, the stars and in short, everything, has come into existence by chance. But it is evident to an intelligent person who stops and contemplates such things that these claims of random emergence are utterly irrational.

The Absurdity of Chance

The people who invent and support theories of chance are products of a materialist and evolutionist mentality. Claiming that the universe has no beginning or end and that it is not the creation of a creator, these people state that billions of galaxies, consisting of billions of stars, and all the celestial bodies, planets, stars and perfect systems which enable them to maintain their existence, that all these emerged as the result of uncontrolled chance happenings. In a similar manner, they claim that, in spite of the magnificent order in the universe, living creatures also came into being by chance.

In light of this information, it appears that they consider "chance" to be a creative power. However, considering a being other than Allah to be a creative power is nothing but idolatry. In other words, evolutionists have an idol which is called "chance." This will be evident to anyone who takes a look at Darwinist works.

Examples of livings beings that evolutionists believe the "idol of chance" created are countless. For example, evolutionists believe that the very first cell that was the origin of all living things was the work of this idol. According to this belief, one day as a result of thunderbolts, rain and various other natural phenomena, a bunch of atoms came together without any previous plan in order to form amino acids. Then these amino acids combined to form proteins, the basis for the cells of all living creatures. This process was implemented by means of the power of chance. Then, in this way, the proteins immediately formed the first living cell, again by chance. However, the job of "chance" wasn't over yet.

According to the evolutionist sophistries, the "idol of chance" was, by itself, also the impetus behind the emergence of millions of species on Earth. It first brought a fish into being and then, thinking a single type of fish would not be sufficient, it formed hundreds of thousands of fish species. Since hundreds of thousands of fish species were not enough, it brought other sea creatures alongside them into being and created an environment of breathtaking magnificence under the sea. Then, this very "idol of chance" thought that undersea life was not enough, so it prepared certain structural changes in the body of a fish which would enable it to live on land. By means of random, gradual changes, the fins of the fish happened to be transformed into feet, and the gills happened to become lungs so the fish could breathe in the air. Yet, still they had not reached the diversity of the species we see today, so "chance" allegedly continued to work its magic…

As we will come to see in many examples, living things can survive only if their organs are complete and fully developed. Dysfunction of some organs can cause a creature to die within a couple of minutes or a couple of days at the most. However, according to the evolutionists' assertions, this "idol of chance" has pondered, designed and formed all the details of living things in a very conscious, careful, flawless and perfect manner for millions of years.

As we can see from these examples, for evolutionists, "chance" is the sort of idol that can make whatever it wants, form anything it wishes immediately, and transform one animal into another. In addition to doing all this, it can arrange the colors, appearance and taste of all living and non-living things in the most aesthetic way possible.

The "idol of chance" seasonally allocates vitamins to fruits and makes them juicy and nourishing. It makes sure that their odors and tastes are similar everywhere. It also possesses the knowledge of how to put all the information a plant will ever need inside a tiny seed.

Buraya kadar yapılan karşılaştırmaların ve kitap boyunca verilen örneklerin tümü Allah'ın evrende kusursuzca yarattığı çeşitlilikten sadece birkaç örnektir. Bu örneklerin her biri kendi içinde çok detaylı bilgiler içermektedir. Örneğin, bu kitapta kelebeklerin birkaç genel özelliğinden bahsedilmektedir, ancak sadece kelebeğin gözü üzerine yazılmış ve her biri sayfalar dolusu olan kitaplar vardır. Bundan başka çok çeşitli sayıda kelebek türleri, bu türlerin her birinin kendilerine has özellikleri vardır. İnsan vücudunun bu kitapta çok genel olarak ele alınan birkaç özelliği vardır ancak sadece kemikler ile ilgili ciltler dolusu kitap ve araştırma bulunmaktadır. İnsan gözünün tek bir siniri, böceklerin kanatları, hatta bu kanadı oluşturan maddenin içeriği üzerine yazılmış sayfalar dolusu kitaplar vardır.

What we have mentioned so far constitutes a general rationale for the assertions of the materialist and evolutionist mentality. Certainly, it is an evident fact for any person with wisdom and conscience that all these examples cannot be realized by "chance," which is the only reason offered by evolutionists. Now think about this: can coincidences come together and form motorways or establish transportation companies and make sure that they operate smoothly? Undoubtedly, it is impossible for such things to occur by chance. Just as it is not possible for a transportation company to be established by chance, it is also not possible for a circulatory system in the body to come into being by chance either. In the same manner as a group of people manufactured all the steel parts of the Eiffel Tower one-by-one, cut them into specific sizes, designed the tower, assembled the parts in accordance with the blueprint and made them strong, there is a Power Who created the bones of human beings. These bones, all having the required sizes, were placed in the most appropriate locations, in compliance with the design of the human body, and a strong skeleton was created through the joining of these bones. This is a power that is above everything in nature, encompassing everything. It cannot be compared to anything. The owner of this power is Allah, Who is the Creator of the heavens and the Earth and everything in between.

All the comparisons made so far and the examples given throughout this book constitute only a small part of the diversity of Allah's perfect artistry in creation. For example, only a couple of the general traits of butterflies are mentioned, whereas entire pages of books covering just the eyes of butterflies have been written. In addition, there are many different species of butterfly, each one having a unique set of traits. In this book, only a few characteristics of the human body are dealt with in a general way, but voluminous books and research papers on the subject of bones alone are available. There are books filled with pages devoted to the cornea of the human eye, the wings of an insect, and even to the substance of these wings

All this provides concrete evidence for the existence of Allah. Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge and anybody who understands this will immediately see the magnificence present in creation. Every man will comprehend the greatness of Allah, according to the degree of his own wisdom and conscience. Also, the most important duty of a person who has begun to comprehend the might and endless artistry of Allah is to turn towards the real Creator of the beauties he sees and to lead such a life as to gain the approval of Allah only. In the Qur'an, Allah informs us of His might as follows:

That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. (Surat al-An'am: 102)

Intelligent Design - in Other Words,
Creation In Order to Create, Allah Has No Need to Plan

It's important to properly understand the word "design." If Allah has created a flawless design that does not mean that He first conceived a plan and then followed it. Allah, the Lord of the Earth and the heavens, needs no "designs" in order to bring anything into existence. Allah is exalted above all such deficiencies. Both His planning and His creation take place at the same instant.

Whenever Allah wills a thing to come about, it is enough for Him just to say, "Be!" As verses of the Qur'an tell us: His command when He desires a thing is just to say to it, "Be!" and it is. (Surah Ya Sin: 82)

[Allah is] the Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, "Be!" and it is. (Surat al-Baqara: 117)

From Non-Being to Being: The Big Bang

O, göklerin ve yerin yaratıcısıdır... (Şura Suresi, 11)

Did you know that everything you see around you, your own body, the house you live in, the armchair you're sitting in, your mother and father, the trees, birds, soil and fruit, in short, all living things and inanimate matter you can ever imagine, gained life through the coming together of atoms caused by the "Big Bang"? Were you aware of the fact that, after this explosion, perfect order in the universe came to exist? What, then, is the "Big Bang"?

Over the last century, a host of experiments, observations and calculations carried out using advanced technology have revealed beyond any doubt that the universe had a beginning. Scientists have determined that the universe is in a constant state of expansion. And they have concluded that, since the universe expands, if it could travel backwards in time, the universe must have begun this expansion from a single point. Indeed, the conclusion that science has reached today is that the universe originated from the explosion of this single point. This explosion is called the "Big Bang."

Creation of a perfect order after a "Big Bang" is not a phenomenon that can be seen as an ordinary event at all. Consider the fact that thousands of kinds of explosions often occur on Earth, but no order develops as a result of them. All of them rather lead to devastating, damaging, destructive results. For example, if atom or hydrogen bombs, volcanic eruptions, natural gas explosions, and the explosions occurring in the sun are looked at, we can see that their effects are always harmful. A constructive or positive result is never gained as the result of an explosion. However, according to the scientific data attained by means of modern technology, the millennia-distant "Big Bang" led to a transition from non-being to being, in fact to a very orderly and harmonious existence.

Now, let us think over an example as follows: Under the ground, a dynamite explosion occurs and, after this explosion, the most magnificent palace the world has ever seen, with ornate and beautiful windows, doors and furniture, suddenly appears. Does it seem reasonable to argue, "This came into existence by chance"? Could such a thing spring into being on its own? Certainly not!

The universe which came into being after the "Big Bang" is such a magnificent, meticulously planned and marvelous system that it certainly cannot be compared to a mere earthly palace. In this situation, it would be utterly senseless to claim that the universe came into being on its own. The universe instantaneously came into being from non-being. This shows us the existence of a Creator Who created matter from nothingness and Who keeps every moment of it under His control. He is the All-Wise and the All-Mighty. This Creator is Allah, the Most Strong.

The Concept of Greatness in Space

Şüphesiz Allah, gökleri ve yeri zeval bulurlar diye (her an kudreti altında) tutuyor. Andolsun, eğer zeval bulacak olurlarsa, kendisinden sonra artık kimse onları tutamaz. Doğrusu O, Halim'dir, bağışlayandır. (Fatır Suresi, 41)

In the universe, countless systems operate. Allah keeps all these systems under His control even while we are not aware of it, for example, while we are reading, walking or sleeping. Allah created the universe along with its countless details to make people comprehend His boundless might. In the Qur'an, Allah addresses people and explains the reason for the creation of order in the universe as, "So that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge." (Surat at-Talaq: 12) This order contains so many details that man cannot possibly know where to begin to think about it.

For example, everybody knows that the universe is quite vast. However, when we begin to think of what kind of vastness this is in a real sense, we come across concepts that are a breed apart from what we can normally comprehend. The diameter of the sun is 103 times greater than that of the Earth. Let's explain this with a comparison. If we compare the Earth to a marble, then the sun is a sphere that is two times larger then a football. The interesting thing here is the distance between them. In order to set up a model that mirrors the actual scale, we need to put a distance spanning approximately 280 meters (920 feet) between the marble-sized Earth and the football-sized sun. And as for the stars existing beyond our own solar system, they need to be placed entire kilometers away.

With this comparison, you might imagine that the solar system is a quite large place. However, when we compare it to the Milky Way Galaxy where it is situated, it is dwarfed in comparison. For, in the Milky Way Galaxy, there are about 250 billion stars like our own sun, and most of them are much more massive.

Our sun is located on one of the arms of this spiral-shaped galaxy. The interesting thing, however, is that the Milky Way Galaxy is a very "small" place too, when we consider the overall context of outer space. For there are other galaxies in space too-according to some estimates, as many as 300 billion altogether…

Even these few examples we have supplied about the dimensions and vast distances between the universe's celestial bodies will suffice to show the incomparability of Allah's artistry in creation, the fact that He has no partner in creation, and that He is All-Powerful. Allah calls on people to think over these facts as follows:

Are you stronger in structure or is heaven? He built it. He raised its vault high and made it level. (Surat an-Nazi'at: 27-28)

The Solar System's Perfect Order

When you go outside, the sunlight strikes your face without bothering you, and you owe this to the perfect order existing within the solar system. The sun, which conveys a pleasant warmth and light for our benefit, is only, in fact, like a deep pit consisting of red gas clouds. It is made up of whirlpools of giant flames which gush from the boiling surface to millions of kilometers away, and of giant tornados rising to the surface from the bottom. These could be fatal to mankind. Yet, the atmosphere and the magnetic field of the Earth filter all the deadly harmful rays of the sun before they reach us. It is this perfect order in the solar system that makes the Earth a livable planet.

When we look at the structure of the solar system, we find a very delicate balance. What protects the planets of the solar system from splitting off from the system and being hurled into the freezing cold of outer space is the balance between the gravity of the sun and the centrifugal force of the planets. The sun attracts all the planets through the great force of gravity it exerts, while they continuously counter this attraction by means of their centrifugal force owing to their moving in their orbits. But if these planets rotated at a slightly slower speed, they would be attracted by the sun so strongly that they would plunge into the solar giant and be swallowed in a huge explosion. The opposite of this is also possible. If the planets rotated at a greater speed, this time the gravitational force of the sun wouldn't be enough to hold them and the planets would be hurled into the void of outer space. However, a very delicate balance has been established, and the system continues to exist because it maintains this balance.

In the meantime, it is important to note that the above-mentioned balance is established for each planet separately because each planet's distance from the sun is unique. In addition, their masses are different. For this reason, for each one of them, a different rotation speed has been established so that they can avoid both colliding with the sun and being hurled off into outer space.

This example constitutes only minor evidence for the magnificent balance in the solar system. Anyone who possesses reason can understand that the balance which puts giant planets and the entire solar system into order, and which moreover keeps this order for day after day and century after century, cannot have come into existence by chance. It is evident that this order has been delicately calculated. Allah, the All-Powerful, shows us, with the perfect details He has created in the universe, that everything is under His control. Astronomers such as Kepler and Galileo, scientists who worked to uncover the extraordinarily sensitive balance in the solar system, stated many times that this system indicated a very obvious design and constituted evidence for the sovereignty of Allah over the entire universe. Allah creates and holds everything with His boundless knowledge; He is All-Powerful.

Magnificence Everywhere (2/15)

The Peerless Planet: Earth

Think for a moment about what is necessary for a man to survive. Water, the sun, oxygen, the atmosphere, plants and animals… All kinds of details, all kinds of conditions you can or can't think of at that moment are naturally available on the Earth. In addition, when we investigate further, we can see that all these vital needs have a web of interrelated details, and that all these details exist in their full splendor on Earth. Everything on Earth, its living things, plants, the sky, and the seas, all these have been created in the best and most complete way in order to suit the existence and survival of humanity.

Along with the Earth, there are also other planets in our solar system. However, among these planets, the only planet that is suitable for life is Earth. The distance of the Earth from the sun, the rotational speed of the Earth on its axis, the inclination of its axis to its orbit, the structure of the Earth's surface and many other independent factors much like these enable our planet to enjoy a warm temperature which is appropriate for life and to diffuse this warmth all over the Earth in a homogeneous way. The composition of the Earth's atmosphere and the size of the Earth are also just as they should be. The light coming to us from the sun, the water we drink, and the foods we enjoy are extremely suitable for our lives.

In short, any sort of close look at the planet we live on will show us that the Earth was designed especially for man. For us to see that the conditions on Earth were specially designed, it will be enough to take a rough look at conditions on other planets. Take Mars, for example. The atmosphere of Mars is a toxic mixture containing a heavy dose of carbon dioxide. There is no water on the surface of the planet. Huge craters caused by the impact of massive meteors are obvious in the picture on the right. As for the weather, monster storms and sandstorms which last for months on end are quite common. The temperature averages -53o C (-64o F).

Considering these features as a whole, Mars, which among our neighboring planets shares the most in common with the Earth, is clearly a dead planet where life is not possible. This comparison palpably demonstrates that the features which make the Earth a livable place are truly tremendous blessings. The One Who has created the entire universe, formed perfectly its stars, planets, mountains and seas, is Allah. Throughout our lives, we should be thankful for His creations and blessings, and take Him as a friend and protector. Allah, Who is the owner of all these things, is the One Who is worthy of all praise. Allah informs us of this fact in the Qur'an:

Is He Who creates like him who does not create? So will you not pay heed? If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl: 17-18)

The Explicitly Designed Composition of the Atmosphere

Gökyüzünü korunmuş bir tavan kıldık; onlar ise bunun ayetlerinden yüz çeviriyorlar. (Enbiya Suresi, 32)

Breathing might mean to you nothing more than inhaling air and then letting it back out. However, for this process to work properly, a system which is perfect from all aspects has been established. We need not make the slightest effort whatsoever in order to breathe. In fact, perhaps most people have never consciously thought about the process at all. Everybody needs to breathe continuously, from the moment we come into this world until we die. All the necessary conditions, in both our body and our environment, have been created by Allah and, therefore, we are able to breathe easily in this way.

First of all, for a person to breathe, it is necessary that the balance of gasses in the atmosphere be arranged just right. Even a slight change in this balance could prove fatal but such failures do not occur at all, because the Earth's atmosphere is a unique mixture that was designed as a combination of very specific conditions all mixed together in a way that functions flawlessly.

The Earth's atmosphere is made up of nitrogen (77%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide (1%), argon and other gasses. Let's begin with the most important of these gasses, that is, oxygen.

The atmosphere's preservation of the balance of its oxygen ratio is realized by means of a perfect "recycling" system. Human beings and animals continuously consume oxygen while they produce and expel carbon dioxide gas, which is poisonous for them. Plants, on the other hand, carry out just the opposite process and maintain survival by transforming carbon dioxide into oxygen. Every day, billions of tons of oxygen are released into the atmosphere by plants in this way.

Now, if human beings and animals carried out the same chemical reactions as do plants, the Earth, in a very short time, would become an unlivable planet. If both animals and plants produced oxygen, the atmosphere would become extremely combustible and the smallest spark would cause huge fires. Ultimately, in such a scenario, the Earth would be reduced to a cinder. If, on the other hand, both plants and animals produced carbon dioxide, then the oxygen in the atmosphere would quickly run out and, in short order, all living things would begin to die of suffocation.

All this shows that Allah created the Earth's atmosphere especially for human life. The universe is not an uncontrolled, chaotic place. It has been planned in every detail and Allah, the possessor of eternal power, brought it into being.

How Mountains Strengthen the Earth's Crust

The Earth's crust, the surface on which we daily walk and build our houses safely, in fact moves on a layer called the mantle which is denser than the crust. If there was not a system in place to keep this motion under control, continual shocks and quakes would occur on the Earth and the world would be a truly unlivable place. And yet, the mountains and their extensions under the ground greatly decrease underground movements, and hence such shocks.

The Earth's mountains have come about as a result of movements and clashes of huge plates which make up the planet's crust. When two of these plates collide, one usually slides under the other. The plate on top is pushed up and so forms mountains. At the same time, the plate at the bottom proceeds under the ground and forms a deep protrusion. This means that mountains have deep downward protrusions that are as large as those visible on the surface. In other words, mountains are firmly rooted in the Earth's layer called the mantle.

Therefore, mountains effectively clench the Earth's plates by stretching above and below the ground at the conjunctions of these plates. In this way, mountains prevent the crust of the Earth from sliding on the magma layer or between its own layers. In short, we may compare mountains to nails firmly holding pieces of wood together. This characteristic of the mountains, through counteracting the unstable nature of the Earth's crust, prevents shocks to a significant degree.

These magnificent-looking mountains also have other roles to play in maintaining certain balances on the Earth, especially in dispersing heat.

The temperature difference between the equator and the Earth's poles is about 100°C (212°F). If such a difference arose on the surface level, storms at blinding speeds reaching 1,000 km (621 miles) per hour would devastate the Earth. However the uneven surface of the Earth blocks strong air currents that such heat differences could cause. These mountain ranges begin with the Himalayas in China, continue with the Taurus mountain range in southern Turkey, and then again up into the Alps of Europe. The mountain ranges of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans also figure into this equation.

Like all other details on the Earth, what is manifested in the mountains is part of the endless art of Allah. Allah has created the world where we live in a perfect way. Seeing these magnificent examples, what man must acknowledge is that the most important fact of his life is his duty to serve Allah and to work for this and this alone. Because man is in need of countless blessings, whereas Allah is Rich Beyond Need.

The Balance of the Oceans

The rains, the seas, rivers, streams, the oceans, drinkable water that flows when you turn on a faucet… People are so used to the existence of water that they probably never think about the fact that a major part of the Earth's surface -indeed, most of it- is covered with water. However, what is singularly important here is that, among all known celestial bodies, only the Earth provides drinkable water.

Water is a basic condition for life, but it is entirely absent from the solar system's 63 other celestial bodies. However, fully four-fifths of the Earth's surface is covered with water. In addition to large water masses such as oceans, there are various other water sources whose sizes and attributes are different from each other, such as rivers and small lakes. Some of these waters are too salty to be drinkable, but others are fresh. There is a perfect water balance that has been arranged according to the needs of all living things on the Earth.

By virtue of water, millions of species of creatures exist on Earth, and the balances that are necessary for life are preserved. For example, clouds and rain are formed by the evaporation of large water masses. Water has a high capacity for drawing and holding heat. For this reason, the large water masses of the oceans and seas maintain the balance of the world's heat. Therefore, the temperature difference between day and night in regions near the sea is very small. This makes these regions more livable.

The existence of the oceans, a bird's-eye view of which is seen at the top of the picture on the page to the right, is highly significant. Because the oceans reflect the sun's rays less than land does, they receive more sun energy, yet they disperse this heat in a more balanced way. Therefore, the oceans cool the equatorial regions and prevent them from becoming excessively hot, and also warm the waters of the polar regions to prevent them from freezing completely.

Through the transparency of water, water mosses can photosynthesize under the surface of the ocean. Water is one of the few substances in nature that expands when frozen. It is because of this that the seas and oceans do not freeze from bottom to top.

All of the physical and chemical features of water, of which only a few have been given here, show us that this liquid has been specially created for the needs of human life. It is surely no coincidence that such water is not available on any other planet besides the Earth. The Earth, which has been specially created for human life, has blossomed with life through water, which has also been specially created. Allah, Who has created countless blessings for His servants and bestowed on them an easy mode of living, has created water with unique artistry and delicacy. As He maintains in the Qur'an, "It is He Who sends down water from the sky..." (Surat an-Nahl: 10)

Magnificence Everywhere (3/15)

The Harmony Between Water and Plants

All plants, large and small alike, from grasses to tall trees and the multitudes of flowers, can transport water and the nutrition they carry from the soil up to their farthermost leaves and branches . Yet, this transportation process is not achieved by means of systems present in the plants only. For this transportation to happen, the characteristics of water itself also need to be in harmony with the structures of the plants.

We can see this harmony by looking at the general structure of water.

It is evident that water, which is indispensable for the survival of the Earth's living things, is a substance that has been especially designed and created. One of the essential features of water is that it possesses a high "surface tension." Surface tension occurs when the molecules on a liquid's surface attract each other, thus creating a barrier between the air and the liquid. Because of this, a water container can carry an amount of water that is slightly higher than its own height without overflowing. Also, a metal needle can float on water without sinking if it is carefully put on the surface in a horizontal position.

The surface tension of water is higher than that of any other liquid, and this has far-reaching biological effects for the Earth. We will begin by examining its effect on plants.

Plants, by means of surface tension, can carry water found in the depths of the soil up to heights meters above the surface, all without having a pump or muscle system. In the realm of human-designed structures, air pressure tanks, very complicated systems indeed, are required to carry water to the upper floors of apartment houses. Plants, however, have no such system. Water reaches the farthest points of the plant purely by means of surface tension. The tubes in the plants' roots and veins are designed in such a way as to make use of the surface tension of water. Going upwards, these tubes become narrower and narrower and so enable water to "climb" upwards. If the surface tension of water were at a low level, as in most other liquids, then land plants would be utterly unable to survive. This would negatively effect all living things on the planet. However, due to the perfect creation of both water and plants, such problems never arise.

The compatibility between the high surface tension of water and the structure of plants which make use of this property indicates the perfect creation of Allah. These constitute an important piece of evidence for the fact that nature and living things came into being not by chance, but through Allah's creation.

The Design of Snowflakes

Anyone who takes a close look at snowflakes can see that they come in a variety of shapes. It is estimated that a single cubic meter of snow holds about 350 million snowflakes! These flakes are all hexagonal and have crystal-like structures. However, each one of them possesses a unique shape. For years, scientists have been searching for answers to such questions as how these shapes ever came about, how it is that each one of them has a different shape and what provides their symmetry. Every bit of information that is gained reveals another magnificent mastery present in the snowflakes. The variety and perfection of the hexagonal structure of snowflakes is a manifestation of Allah's status as the Originator (al-Badi). Allah is the One Who made good everything that He has created. The formation of snowflakes constitutes yet another aspect of Allah's endless artistry.

These thin, small flakes look like multi-pointed stars or tiny needle heads. The formation of the snowflakes in the pictures is truly amazing. For years, the orderly structure of snowflakes has caught people's attention. Since 1945, research has been carried out in a quest to discover which factors give the final shape to the crystals. A single snowflake is a pile of crystals consisting of more than 200 ice crystals. Snowflakes are made up of water molecules that are shaped in a perfect order. Snowflakes, one of nature's true architectural wonders, are shaped when water vapor gets cold while passing through clouds. This takes place like so:

Passing through the clouds, water molecules scattered everywhere in a disorganized way throughout water vapor begin to lose their random movement due to the fall in temperature. After a while, the water molecules, moving more slowly, begin to form groups and consequently become solid. Yet, there is no disorder whatsoever in their groupings. On the contrary, they always unite as microscopic hexagonal forms that look similar to each other. Each snowflake at first consists of a single hexagonal water molecule, then other hexagonal water molecules come and attach to this first piece. According to experts on the subject, the basic factor that determines the shape of a snowflake is that these hexagonal water molecules are joined together just like links in a chain. In addition, the pieces of crystals, which normally should look alike, take on very different shapes according to the temperature and level of moisture.1

Why is it that there is a hexagonal symmetry in all snowflakes and why is each of them different from the others? Why are their edges angled rather then straight? Scientists are still trying to find answers to these questions. Yet, this much is evident: Allah is the One Who has no partners in creation, is the Possessor of an endless power and the Originator of everything.

The Unique Artistry of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables spring from the same soil and are watered with the same water, yet they come in a dazzling variety. When we consider the multitude of different tastes and smells of fruits and vegetables, the question of how such a variety ever came about in the first place comes to mind. What causes this miscellany of the tastes and fragrances of grapes, melons, kiwis, pineapples and the like, using the same water and minerals for centuries on end, yet without ever mixing them up with each other and without ever getting them confused? Allah gives them their matchless tastes and appearances.

Both animals and humans obtain the energy they need to survive through nutrition which is produced by plants. In other words, plants have been created as a blessing to benefit all living things. Most of these blessings have been designed especially for humans. Let's take a look at our surroundings, at what we eat, and then think. First let's look at the bone-dry stalk and very thin roots of a grape vine. This bone-dry structure, one that seems so fragile that it could be broken with the slightest pull, can produce dozens of kilos of juicy grapes whose color, smell and taste have been designed especially to give pleasure to man. Now let's think about watermelons. This juicy fruit, which again comes out of dry soil, develops precisely in the season when people begin to feel the need for it, that is, in summer. Let's think about the marvelous smell of the melon that has been provided since it first came into existence, without any deterioration in its quality, and about its famous taste. When fragrances are produced in factories, people use complex quality controls and take great pains to produce a uniform odor that mimics nature; but there is no need for quality checks to preserve the natural odor of fruits.

In addition to their enticing smells, each fruit also contains ingredients that are suitable to the season. In winter, for example, we have tangerines and oranges, which are full of vitamin C and energy. Vegetables also possess any and all kinds of vitamins and minerals that living things may need.

By thinking in this manner, we could examine in turn all the plants present in nature. And at the end of this examination, we would have learned that the plants around us have been especially designed for human beings and all other creatures, in other words they have been created. Allah, Who is the Lord of the worlds, has brought into existence all nutrition for living things and has created them in such a way that the taste, smell and use of each one of them is wonderfully varied. This reveals His might and matchless artistry in creation. He informs us of this in the Qur'an:

And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed. (Surat an-Nahl: 13)

A Perfect Design 0f Leaves: Pores

There is a perfect design present in every square millimeter of every leaf, an object which we usually consider, at first glance, as being ordinary, "garden variety." Pores, which are one of the essential structures of plants, are a key part of this design. These microscopic holes (pores) that exist on the leaves are responsible for facilitating the transfer of water and heat as well as obtaining carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a gas which is necessary for photosynthesis. In addition, pores have a structure capable of opening and closing themselves when necessary.

Another interesting feature of the pores is that they are mostly located on the bottom of the leaves. In this way, the harmful effects of the sun's rays on the leaves are kept to a minimum. If the pores, which discharge the water of the plant, were densely present on the upper surface, then they would be exposed to sunlight for long periods of time. In such a case, the pores would continuously let out water in order to prevent the plant from dying of heat. Consequently, due to excessive water loss, the plant would wither away and die. Allah, Who has created everything in a perfect and complete way, created the pores as an exclusive design for plants and thus prevented them from suffering harm due to water loss.

The pores, which are located in pairs on the surface tissue of leaves, are shaped like beans. The concave position of the opposite pores adjusts the openings of the pores that maintain the gas transmission between the leaf and the atmosphere. These openings, which are called pore openings, vary according to the conditions of the environment (light, moisture, temperature, carbon dioxide level) and the internal situation of the plant, especially regarding water. The water and gas transmission of the plant are adjusted by the pores' openings getting larger or smaller.

There are very delicate details in the structure of these pores which have been designed by taking all the effects of the outside environment into consideration. We all know that the conditions of the outside environment are subject to continuous change: the moisture and gas ratio, the temperature and the air quality… But the pores of leaves can adapt to all these factors.

This system in plants, as in other systems too, can function only if all the parts are present together. Therefore, it is definitely beyond the realm of possibility for the pores of plants to have come into being through evolutionary coincidences. Allah created the pores with their very exclusive structures, and especially designed them to serve their purposes.

Footnotes

1- Roger Davey, David Stanley, "All about ice," New Scientist, September 6, 1993.

Magnificence Everywhere (4/15)

The Seeds of The Coconut Palm

The seeds of some plants are dispersed by water. These seeds typically have characteristics different from the seeds of other plants. For example, plants which disperse their seeds by water possess a structure that minimizes their weight and maximizes their surface area. In addition, the floating tissue might take any of several shapes. The cells filled with air might have a spongy structure or the air might be locked in the seed in such a way that gaps among the cells are almost lost, enabling the seed to float. In addition, the cell walls of the floating tissue are structured in such a way as to prevent water from entering. Besides all this, there is an additional interior segment in these plants which protects the embryo that contains all the genetic information about the plant.2

Among those seeds carried by water, there are seeds that can remain in the water for about 80 days without being spoiled or germinating owing to their strong structure. The most famous of these are the seeds of the coconut palm tree. The seed of the palm is put into a hard shell for safe transport. In this hard shell, everything that is needed for a long journey, including water, is available. Also, the outer part is covered with a strong fabric that prevents the seed from being damaged by water.

One of the most significant features of a coconut seed is that it has air spaces that make it buoyant and capable of floating on water. Because of these characteristics, the coconut seed can be carried by ocean currents for thousands of kilometers. When it washes ashore, the seed germinates and grows into a coconut palm tree.3

It is quite an exceptional situation that the coconut seeds germinate just as they reach the land because, as is known, plant seeds generally germinate as soon as they meet water. Yet, this is not true for coconut plants. With their distinctive structures, plants which disperse their seeds by water are privileged in this respect. If these plants, too, began to germinate as soon as they encountered water, they would have long ago since become extinct. However, by means of their mechanisms suitable to their particular environments, these plants can continue to exist. It is evident that these precise features and design could not have come into being by the methods evolutionists claim.

The amount of reserved nutrition and water in the seeds, the period of their reaching the land, in short all the delicate calculations made for such features have been perfectly determined by Allah, Who is the owner of eternal power and wisdom.

Living Things Created in Harmony with Each Other

In some plants, the nectar is present in the depths of the plants' flowers. It seems that this would constitute a disadvantage making it difficult for insects and birds to collect nectar and hence for flowers to be pollinated. However, Allah has enabled these plants to be pollinated as well by creating living creatures whose structures are exactly appropriate for the characteristics of flowers that keep their nectars in their depths. The concordant relationship between the chandelier tree and the yucca moth is one such example.

The yucca has a rosette of spear-shaped leaves and, in the center of this, there is a stalk bearing cream-colored flowers. One of the features of the yucca is that its pollen exists in a curved region. For this reason, only a certain moth species that has been bestowed with a curved proboscis can collect the pollen, which is present in the male reproductive organs of the plant.

By pressing the pollen against each other, the moth forms the pollen it has collected into a ball shape and takes this to another yucca. First it goes down to the bottom of the flower and lays its eggs. Then it climbs up to the top of the flower and, by hitting the pollen ball, causes pollen to spill. After a while, moth caterpillars will get out of the eggs and feed on this pollen. In the meantime, by hitting the pollen ball that was collected from the previous flower against the top of the new flower, the moth pollinates it. If moths did not exist, yuccas could not pollinate on their own.4

As we can see, the nourishment of the moth and the pollination of the yucca come about in a very harmonized way. What creates this harmony is not the yucca itself or the moth. It is not possible for a plant or an insect to be aware of the needs of another creature or to determine a tactic for fulfilling its own needs. These creatures do not possess the faculty of thinking and thus cannot discover methods and teach them to other creatures. Allah alone has created this perfect harmony among living creatures. Both creatures are the work of Allah, Who knows them perfectly, Lord of all the worlds and All-Knowing. And they in turn serve the purpose of introducing people to the greatness, might and perfect art of Allah. Allah reveals this in the Qur'an:

The seven heavens and the earth and everyone in them glorify Him. There is nothing which does not glorify Him with praise but you do not understand their glorification. He is All-Forbearing, Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Isra: 44)

The Tactics of Coryanthes Orchids

Is it possible for a flower to be aware of the preferences of an insect? Is it possible for it to make plans to make this insect fall into its trap and make changes in itself accordingly? Without a doubt, it is not possible for a flower or an insect to carry out such tactics by means of its own reason and will. However, when we look at the creatures in nature, we see that they often apply just such kinds of tactics.

The Coryanthes orchid is one such plant that makes insects fall into its trap by means of an interesting tactic. The reproductive system of the orchid is based on attracting insects and making them carry its pollen. The flowers of this orchid species grow in clusters. Each flower has two wing-like sepals and just behind these leaves is a tiny "bucket." When the flowers open, a special liquid secreted by two special glands begins to drip into the bottom of this bucket. After a while the flower begins to emit a fragrance that bees find irresistible.

As the orchid blooms, male bees respond to the scent and begin to fly around the flower. While they try to land on the vertical edges of the orchid, they also look for a place to hang onto with their legs, like the tubular section of the flower that connects the bucket to the stem. This part is slippery and sloping. Therefore, the bees creeping around the flower inevitably fall into the bucket in the bottom of the flower that is filled with the liquid.

There is only one way out for the bee that has fallen into the flower. A narrow tunnel leads to the front wall of the flower, that is, to daylight. Until the insect finds this way out, which is at the same level as the liquid into which the bee has fallen, it keeps swimming in the liquid. While trying to find the exit, it passes under the stigma, where there is pollen, and the flower's male organs. At that time, two pollen sacs stick to the back of the insect. Then the insect advances towards the exit and finally leaves the flower. When the bee goes to a new flower, this time the stigma of the flower picks up the pollen from the bee and, in this way, pollination begins.5

Yet, this situation doesn't benefit the flower alone. The liquid present in the flower bucket the bees fall into is extremely important for bees as well, because the male bees will use the odor of this secretion smeared on their bodies to attract female bees during mating.

As we said in the beginning, it is not at all possible for a flower to develop tactics to deceive an insect and arrange its structure according to this tactic. Similarly, it is no less impossible for an insect to develop a tactic to acquire a needed substance from a flower by means of its own will. The amazing cooperation between these two creatures is evidence for the fact that they were created by a unique Creator.

The Skills of Mason Bees

Mason bees are living creatures that attract attention because of the care they demonstrate in building a nest. When a female bee who wants to build a nest finds a suitable place, she cleans it. However, in order to build a nest, she first needs to find a source of mud. If she cannot find mud, she finds some finely textured soil and turns it into a soft paste by mixing it with her saliva.

A mason bee begins its nest construction by scraping a piece of mud from the ground with her jaw. She carries the mud between her legs and molds it into a pellet. She adds more mud to the pellet. Then, holding the pellet with her lower jaw, the female bee comes back to her nest.

When the bee comes to the place where she will build a nest with the mud, she does not begin to work in a haphazard, disorganized way. When they build their tunnel-like nests, mason bees always follow a definite plan. In line with this plan, the mason bee uses the first loads of mud to build the back partition of the first cell that will constitute the blind end of the tunnel. Then, she builds up mud in the shape of a crescent at some distance from the partition. This marks the site of the next partition she will build after she lays her egg in the first cell.

With the completion of the cell, the mason bee begins to collect food to store there. On her first tour, she stores pollen at the rear of the nest. Over the next tours, she leaves some honey that she makes into a thick paste with her jaws on the pollen she left during her previous tour. In this way, she completes initial preparations for the egg she will lay.

As soon as the bee leaves the last pollen load in the nest, she immediately begins to lay her egg. After laying the egg, the female bee begins to build walls for the other mud partition she had marked before. Following a certain sequence, the bee continues the egg-laying and cell-building processes until the cells constituting the nest form a row. The structure of the cells is standard. Each cell contains an egg and stored food and is separated from the adjacent cells by a mud wall.

After the last cell is completed and closed, the female bee leaves an empty space between the last brood cell and the nest entrance and finally closes this opening with a thicker plug than an ordinary cell partition. This plug prevents other creatures from making their nests in front of the nest which would imprison the offspring in their cells and lead to their deaths.6

It can be seen at every stage of nest building that there is a clear wisdom and intelligence behind all the conduct of bricklayer bees. In a verse, Allah informs us that bees are creatures that act with the inspiration of Allah. In fact, not only bees, but all the living creatures in the universe are inspired by Allah, the All-Powerful, the Wise.

Notes

7- Bates Hayvanlar Ansiklopedisi (Bates Encyclopedia of Animals), C.B.P.C. Publishing Ltd., p. 244.

8- Ali Demirsoy, Yasamin Temel Kurallari (Basic Fundamentals of Life), Meteksan A.Ş., Ankara, 1992, pp. 18-22.

9- Bert Hölldobler-Edward O.Wilson, The Ants, Harvard University Press, 1990, p. 534-535.

10- Geo Magazine, October 1995, p. 186.

11-Anita Ganeri, Creatures That Glow, Marshall Editions, London, 1995, pp. 10-11.