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The importance of the study of the universe can be judged from the fact that in the Holy Quran there are 150 verses on topics such as ablution, salaat, fasting, zakaat ['tax Muslims must pay on their wealth for social and religious welfare works'], Hajj, and the issues of divorce and loans etc., whereas, there are 756 verses on the study of the universe and the formulas for its conquest. The Holy Quran teaches us to benefit from the minerals within the earth and the treasures within mountains. The Holy Quran claims that it contains everything, from the smallest to the largest, in detail. But when the Muslims reduced this book to merely a means of achieving their purpose and merely a means of deliverance from calamities and misfortunes, they deprived [themselves] of the secrets of the universe contained within it and of the formulas of the conquest of the universe. The Holy Quran claims that religion has been perfected. That is, the laws and principles of the social, intellectual, moral, and spiritual progress of humankind have been expounded upon and written down in the Wise Quran. The Holy Quran is the inheritance of humankind. The Holy Quran guides whichever nation from among humankind desires to benefit from this inheritance.

Allah the Exalted has stated,

"We have sent down iron, and have placed

many benefits in it for mankind."

[Holv Quran ch57;v25]

The nation that reflected upon the declaration of the Holy Quran and started to struggle [accordingly] became successful and continues to be successful even today. When the Europeans busied themselves in the search for iron, copper, and [other] treasures buried within the earth, according to laws of nature, the treasures of the earth themselves started to reveal their benefits to them. And they became successful in producing inventions made of iron, copper, and compounds made of the various metals, and thus stood out among the nations of the world. Flying in the air became for them a routine of life. To float on the surface of rivers and oceans, and to move about thousands upon thousands of tons of cargo from one place to the other became for them a very ordinary thing. Because of their intellectual inquiries, distances grew smaller and smaller. News of the world started to travel from one corner of the earth to the other. The invention of steam established the system of trains. As gas and petroleum came out of the earth, motor cars started to run on the ground. Under the system of wireless communication, people living in faraway places, relatives, and dear friends, came closer to each other. Gaining awareness of the

weather and climate system, they made revelations which enabled Allah's creatures to remain protected from heavenly calamities.

All of this happened because their intellectuals and thinkers, after the study of heavenly scripture, used its laws and verse' to improve their own life and the life of humankind.

The Holy Quran loudly declares,

"Quran is a book containing the formulas

of the conquest [of the universe]. To gain

distinction among the nations of the world,

reflect upon it, learn it and understand it. How

many blessings of your I Lord shall you people

deny?"

[Holy Quran]

To understand Allah Almighty's grandeur, His eminence and Hiss creative powers, reflect upon his creation and His system of sustaining the universe ['Rabboobiyat'].

The light of inventions, progress, and education and skill, which is spread in the West today, once shone from the Fast, and when eastern nations, in general, and Muslims, in particular, severed their relation with this light of education and skill, education and skill also cut off their relationship with the Muslims.

Allah the Exalted states:

"The nations that do not try to change their

fate; Allah does not bring about change in them either."

[Holy Quran ch13:v11]

Reflecting upon this expansive system of Allah, one can see that this world of fragrance and beauty is composed of two worlds. And each individual from among the creatures that dwell within these worlds possesses four eyes, two brains, two noses, four ears, four hands and four feet. Each individual from among these creatures is bound in six directions. Each individual has two sides: One solid, the other ethereal. There is one space to live in, whereas there is no end to time. Space gives the person the awareness of being [or the awareness of his existence] while time gives him the awareness that he is made up of 60,000 senses. And when a nation attempts to gain awareness of these senses, Allah the Exalted opens up the doors of progress and constructiveness upon it. Scientific knowledge and bright prospects of progress and inventions are revealed to his mind. And then this nation, having dominated the earth and

space, becomes the crown of nations, whereas, the nation deprived of inquisitiveness, inquiry, reflection and intellect lives its life as a slave, and is disgraced upon the earth.


Journey Towards Insight

KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI

Science has made immense progress, yet many believe that, even with all of the modern tools at our disposal, human beings function at no more than 10% of their mental capacity. This leads to the question of what exactly it is that comprises the remaining 90%. Yet another question that arises is this: If it has taken man four and a half billion years to be able to apply only 10% of his ability, how long will it take for him to make use of the remaining 90%?