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Lecture given to 1st year students of the Kulliyah of Medicine, International Islamic University, on 13th November 1999
OUTLINE
1.0 NATURE (tabi’at al kaun)
A. The creator
B. The universe
C. The earth
D. The sun, the moon, and the stars
E. Outer space
2.0 THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS (as-ilat niha-iyat)
A. Introduction
B. The start
C. The end
D. Purpose of creation of the universe
E. The Expanding universe and human destiny
3.0 SIGNS OF ALLAH IN THE UNIVERSE (ayat al llaah fi al kaun)
A. Signs in the universe
B. Believers and signs
C. Unbelievers and signs
D. Challenge to show signs
E. Science and the signs
4.0 ALLAH’S WILL (iraadat al llaah)
A. Allah is sovereign
B. Allah's unlimited will
C. Allah's will and order in the universe
D. Limited human will
E. Will of other creations
5.0 CHANGE AND PERMANENCE (al thabaat wa al taghyiir)
A. Only Allah is permanent
B. Change of day and night
C. Changes in matter
D. Changes of energy
E. Regulation and coordination of change
1.0 NATURE (TABI’AT AL KAUN)
A. The Creator (al khaaliq)
ONE CREATOR FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE
The universe was created by Allah (p 93-94 2:164, 3:190-191, 5:17, 6:1, 6:73, 9:36, 10:3, 10:6, 11:7, 14:19, 15:85, 16:3, 17:99, 18:51, 20:4, 21:16, 25:59, 27:60, 29:44, 29:61, 30:22, 31:25, 32:4, 36:81, 38:27, 39:5, 40:57, 41:9, 42:29, 43:9, 44:38, 45:22, 46:3, 46:33, 50:38, 52:36, 57:4, 64:3, 65:12). Allah is the sole creator of the universe and all what is in it (2:21, 2:28, 4:1, 5:17, 6:2, 6:73, 6:95, 7:54, 7:189, 7:191, 10:3, 11:7, 13:16, 14:19, 14:32 etc). He created the earths (2:164, 3:190-191, 5:17, 6:1, 6:73, 10:3, 11:7, 14:19, 15:85, 16:3, 17:99, 18:51, 2:4, 21:16, 25:59, 27:60, 29:44, 30:8, 30:22, 31:25, 32:4, 36:81, 38:27, 39:5, 40:57, 41:9, 42:29, 43:9, 44:38, 4:22, 46:3, 46:33, 50:38, 52:36, 57:4, 64:3, 65:12). Allah created the heavens (p 590-591 2:29, 2:117, 2:164, 3:190-191, 6:1, 6:14, 6:73, 6:79, 6:101, 7:54, 9:36, 10:3, 10:6, 11:7, 12:101, 14:10, 14:19, 14:32, 15:85, 16:3, 17:99, 18:51, 20:4, 21:16, 21:56, 25:59, 27:60, 29:44, 29:61, 30:8, 30:22, 31:10, 31:25, 32:4, 35:1, 36:81, 38:27, 39:5, 39:38, 39:46, 40:57, 41:11-12, 42:11, 42:29, 43:9, 44:38, 45:22, 46:3, 46:33, 50:38, 52:36, 57:4, 64:3, 65:12, 67:3, 71:15). Allah created all what exists, what existed before and what will exist in the future.
NO ASSOCIATE IN CREATION
There is no associate with Allah in creation ( ). No one else has the power of creation that Allah has (7:191, 10:34, 10:34).
CREATION IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
Creation is a continuous process being witnessed every moment in the mitotic and meiotic division of cells in biological systems and the fission as well as fusion of sub-atomic particles, atoms, and molecules in the physical systems.
HUMAN CREATION IS SUPERIOR
The creation of the earth and heaven is inferior to that of humans. The former refused and failed to carry responsibility (amanat) and humans agreed to carry it (33:72)
B. The Universe (al 'aalamiin)
CONCEPT OF THE UNIVERSE
The universe consists of the earth, ardh, the heavens, samawaat, and the space that encloses them both, ma hawlahuma and the space between them, ma baynahuma. The universe includes the stars, the planets, comets, galaxies, meteors, and the space itself. The Qur’anic term ‘alamiin is used to refer to the wide all-embracing universe or cosmos (p 771 2:4, 2:122, 3:33, 3:42, 3:96-97, 5:20, 6:86, 6:90, 7:80, 7:140, 12:104, 15:70, 21:71, 21:91, 21:107, 25:1, 26:165, 29:6, 29:10, 29:15, 29:28, 37:79, 38:87, 44:32, 45:16, 68:52, 81:27).
7 HEAVENS and 7 EARTHS
The earth and the heavens are separate (p96 21:30). The Qur’an mentions 7 heavens (p 592 2:29, 17:44, 23:17, 23:86, 41:12, 65:12, 67:3, 71:15, 78:12). We have not yet been able to understand what are those 7 entities or bodies in current astronomical knowledge.
WIDE EXPANSE OF THE HEAVENS
The heavens is very wide and expansive (p 591-2 51:47). The Qur’an also teaches that the heavens have order, nidhaam (p 596-7 2:22, 13:2, 21:22, 21:30, 23:71, 25:6, 31:10, 35:41, 40:36-37, 40:64, 45:3, 50:6, 51:47, 55:7, 78:12, 79:27-29, 88:18, 91:5). The inhabitants of the heavens are humans and angels.
THE SEEN and THE UNSEEN
Part of the universe can be perceived by human senses and is called the world of the seen, ‘aalam al shahadat. Part of it in not perceivable by human senses and is called the world of the unseen, ‘aalam al ghaib.
PARADISE and HELL
Paradise, jannat, and hell, jahannam, were created and are part of the universe
C. The Earth
THE BIOSPHERE
The earth we live on is a planet. It is nearly a sphere a little flattened at the North and South poles. It bulges a bit at the equator. Only a very small part, called the biosphere, supports life. The biosphere consists of the soil and the atmosphere.
The soil is on the average no more than 500 meters? in depth. Under the soil is hard rock that can not support life. Under the biosphere is crust 32 km deep, a mantle 2900 km deep and the core made up of iron.
The atmosphere has 4 layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the ionosphere. Oxygen needed for the life-maintaining function of respiration is about one-fifth of atmospheric gases. The thin atmospheric layer plays a very important role of stabilizing the earth’s temperature.
EARTH IS TINY PART OF THE UNIVERSE
The Qur’an describes the earth as wide (p 95-96 4:97, 9:25, 9:118, 29:56, 39:10). In human terms our planet is quite big and humans occupy only a very small portion of it. But Allah’s creation is even bigger than that. Ours is just one planet around one star, the sun. The sun is one of 100 billion stars in the milkway galaxy. There are many galaxies some known and many not yet known. These facts bring home to the human the essential message that he can not be arrogant and proud because in the physical sense he is indeed very insignificant in the total scheme of Allah’s creation.
STABILITY and MOVEMENT
The Qur’an tells us that the earth is standing on its own without pillars to give it firmament (p 92-93 13:2, 22:65, 30:25, 31:10, 35:41). The earth was created to be stable, istiqrar al ardh (p 102 27:61, 40:64). The concept of stability also extends to the mountains, istiqrar al jibaal (p 102 7:143). The stability of the earth is not static. It does not exclude movements and changes that are seen daily. The Qur’an tells us that the earth moves (p 328-9 2:164, 3:27, 6:76, 7:54, 10:6, 11:44, 13:3, 14:33, 17:12, 18:17, 18:47, 18:86, 18:90, 20:130, 21:33, 22:61, 23:80, 24:44, 25:62, 27:86, 27:88, 28:71-73, 31:29, 35:13, 36:37, 36:40, 39:5, 41:37, 45:5, 50:39-40, 56:40, 57:6, 73:1, 74:33-34, 78:10-11, 81:17-18, 84:3, 91:3-4, 92:1-2, 93:1-2, 99:1-2). There are 2 types of movement: revolution and rotation. One of the movements of the earth according to the Qur’an is rotation, dawran al ardh (p 94 27:88). The earth completes one revolution in the year that lasts 365 days. It also rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. The various seasons are due to the changing positions of the earth.
Plate tectonics refers to great movable plates in the earth’s crust responsible for giant movements that cause earth quakes. They are also responsible for movement of continents called continental drift. Scientists believe that at some time in the past, all continents were one land mass called Pangea. The mass slowly broke up into the continents we know today.
PHYSICAL FEATURES
The earth is described by the Qur’an as being flat at times (p 192 71:19-20, 78:6, 88:20) and being mountainous at other times ( ). Many parts of the earth’s surface are covered with deserts where few animal and plant species can live. Some deserts are hot like the Sahara while others are cold deserts like the tundra. One-fifth of the earth’s surface is covered by sand. The earth’s surface is mountains, plains, plateaus, and caves or caverns. Each of these has a specialized eco-system supporting particular plant and animal species.
Our earth’s surface is 70% covered with water. The average depth of oceans is 3.8 km.
The earth has many bounties, khayraat al ardh, that Allah put there for humans and other living things (p 94 2:168, 2:267, 7:96, 10:31, 13:17, 23:18, 27:25, 39:2163:7, 3:137, 6:11, 10:101, 12:109, 16:36, 22:46, 27:69, 29:20, 30:9, 30:42, 35:44, 40:21, 40:82, 47:10).
D. The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
The solar system is made up of the sun and all objects orbiting around it. These include planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, meteorites, dust, and gases. The solar system has 9 major planets, the earth being one of them.
THE SUN
The sun is a source of light (p 644 78:13, 91:1, 6:78, 10:5, 17:78, 18:17, 18:90, 20:130, 25:45, 50:39, 71:16, 78:13). The Qur'an describes the stability of the sun, istirrar al shams (p 102 36:38). It has its own movement (p 329 6:78, 13:2, 21:33, 31:29, 35:13, 36:38, 36:40, 39:5). The movements are precise ( ). It rises in the east. It sets in the west (p. 644 2:258, 6:78, 18:17, 18:86, 20:130, 50:39). Its movements are orderly under Allah's control (p. 644-645 2:258, 6:96, 7:54, 10:5, 13:2, 14:33, 16:12, 21:23, 22:18, 29:61, 31:29, 35:13, 36:38, 36:40, 39:5, 41:37, 55:5). This order will be destroyed on the last day (p 645 75:9, 81:1). Those who worship the sun are misguided (p 644 27:24).
THE MOON
The moon is a satellite of the earth. Its movements have been described by the Qur’an (p 329-30 6:77, 13:2, 21:33, 31:29, 35:13, 36:39-40, 39:5). It takes several positions, manazil al qamar (p 966 10:5, 31:39-40). It is used for reckoning of time, hisaab (p. 966 2:189, 6:96, 10:5, 55:5). It is a source of light, nur al qamar (p 966 6:77, 10:5, 71:16). Its crescent, hilaal al qamar (p 966 2:189, 6:77, 36:39) is used in many Muslim countries as a symbol of Islam. The moon is subservient to Allah, taskhiir al qamar (p. 966 7:54, 13:2, 14:33, 16:12, 29:61, 31:29, 35:18). It prostrates in worship to Allah (p 966 22:18). The ignorant worship the moon instead of worshipping Allah (p 966 6:77, 41:37). On the last day the moon will be split, inshiqaaq al qamar (p 965 54:1) and will disappear, khusuuf al qamar (p. 966 7:8-9).
The moon, which has no atmosphere, witnesses a wide swing in temperature from 121 degrees centigrade in the day to -173 degrees centigrade at night.
THE STARS
The stars are sources of electromagnetic energy. They are used for navigation (p 1199 6:97, 16:16). They are subservient, taskhiir al nujuum (p 1199 7:54, 16:12) and prostrate to Allah in worship, sujuud al nujuum (p 1199 22:18). They move in definite positions, mawaqiu al nujuum (p 1200 56:75). On the last day they will fall, suquut al nujuum (p 1200 53:1) and will be obliterated, twamsu al nujuum (p 1200 77:8).
E. Outer Space
There are millions of galaxies. Each galaxy consists of stars and objects around them. In the expanding universe, these galaxies are moving away from one another at a speed of thousands of miles a second. Our galaxy is called milk-way. Our sun is an average-sized star being one of 100 billion stars in the milk-way galaxy. Stars are arranged in 88 different patterns called constellations. Outer space is dark. The blue color seen from the earth is due to scattering (diffraction) of blue rays from the sun.
2.0 THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS
A. Introduction
Metaphysics was popularized by the Greeks an attempt to understand the ultimate reality through reason since humans could not directly observe and thus understand everything; they can see only part of the reality. Muslims believe that reason is not enough to understand reality. Neither is empirical observation sufficient. Metaphysics is looked at by Muslims as an attempt to escape the assertion that there is a creator for the universe. Metaphysics is therefore not accepted as a valid terminology in Islam.
There are ultimate questions (al masail al niha’iyyat) about the universe that are beyond human intellect. These can only be answered by revelation. They include: start & end of creation (bidayat & nihayat al khalq), purpose of creation (sabab al khalq), and the ultimate destiny of the human (maswiiru al insan).
B. The Start
Humans have limited understanding of the start of the universe or its end. A simple mind experiment that anyone of us can undertake can prove the basic limitations of human intellect. Try to imagine what existed before the whole universe or cosmos as we know it today including its space. Your mind will draw a blank. This is because the human intellectual frame is limited to this cosmos and can not operate outside it. Dr. Abdulhamid Abu Sulayman has told a similar experiment relating to the cat. A cat has no idea at all who is its grandfather and when adult can not even tell who is the father or mother. If it were capable of talking and you asked it about its ancestors you would draw a blank; it may even deny that they ever existed. But we know that its ancestors are real. The issue here is that the cat has limitations in its intellectual frame with regard to ancestors. The same phenomenon applies to humans with regard to the start of creation.
Humans in their arrogance have looked at everything in the universe from an anthropometric point of view. They thus deny everything that is beyond human reach or understanding. Throughout history, humans have tried to humanize everything know about to make it a reflection of themselves. They have seen themselves in everything around them as if it is only they who matter. Analysis of any human language will easily reveal the truth of these assertions. Human anthropometric arrogance reached its ultimate folly when humans tried to humanize the creator by depicting Him appearing in a human form and having human attributes. Many idolatrous practices arose from this.
Muslims believe that it is Allah who knows how the universe started since He created and preceded it. Basic knowledge about this is provided in the revelations (Qur’an and sunnat). The most reliable information is provided in the Qur’an. Humans can however discover through scientific research some of the physical changes that have occurred in the universe.
Humans since the start of history have been very curious about the start of the universe: how, when, why, and where. As a result many folkloric stories and conjectures have been recorded from every community and civilization. The scientific theories that are proposed today are part of this continuous human curiosity.
The driving force behind this curiosity is to understand the present and predict the future. It is difficult to understand the present without knowing how it all started. Many of the theories on the start of the universe are formulated in such a way that they render the existence of Allah unnecessary. They are biased since they are formulated within an atheistic context. Most of them start from the premise that everything started by chance and that all what has happened has also been by chance.
The available scientific evidence about the history of the universe indicates that the earth and the sun started as gases and dust. There is no evidence about the origin of those gases. The gases and dust shrunk and clamped to become the solid we call earth. The earth melted, heavy metal settled at the bottom and lighter ones floated to the top. With time the earth cooled enough so that rain-water could settle down without evaporation.
We have no evidence yet from the Qur’an and scientific observation of the existence of life on other planets and other galaxies.
We know that we are descended from Adam (banu Adam); there could be other human families on other planets. Adam was created much later than many animals and many plants. This is understandable under the doctrine of taskhiir because these had to pre-date humans. Plants and animals are subservient to humans.
Modern scientific investigations suggest major changes in the physical features of the earth mostly due to climatic changes. These could have happened before humans. Other changes have occurred in recorded human history. Present trends in climate also point to major changes in physical features in the future. Allah gave humans the intelligence and resilience to adapt to such changes.
C. The End
The end of the universe is easier to grasp than the beginning. It is common human experience that everything has a beginning and an end. The end usually signifies destruction and disappearance, fanaa, with either replacement or not. The physical laws of entropy are a summary of the concept that every system must eventually self-destruct and come to and end, the universe being no exception. It is only Allah who is eternal and everlasting. Humans should not bother to think or research too deeply into the phenomenon of Allah the everlasting because being an infinite concept; it is beyond human intellectual grasp. This should not be difficult to accept since there are many simple mathematical concepts like infinity that the human mind finds difficulty in grasping but yet it exists and can not be denied by any logical or rational person.
Humans as individuals and communities have always been curious about the destiny of life especially that of humans. Empirical observation establishes the end of the human physical existence at death. However humans continue extra-corporeal existence.
D. Purpose of Creation of the Universe
The purposes of creation of the earths and heavens are several-fold as told by the Qur’an. There may be other purposes known only to Allah.
First of all it was Allah’s will, iradat, to create them. He does what He wants and can not be questioned. He is under no obligation to reveal reasons for His actions.
Secondly the earths and heavens were created to submit to Allah and worship Him (p 772 1:2, 2:131, 2:251, 3:108, 5:28, 5:115, 6:, 6:71, 6:162, 7:54, 7:61, 7:67, 7:104, 7:121, 10:10, 10:37, 26:16, 26:23, 26:47, 26:77, 26:98, 26:109, 26:127, 26:145, 26:164, 26:180, 26:192, 27:8, 27:44, 28:30, 32:2, 37:87, 38:182, 39:75, 40:64-66, 41:9, 43:46, 45:36, 56:80, 59:16, 69:43, 81:29, 83:6). Everything in the universe worships Allah in its own way even what are perceived by humans as being non-living such as stones, mountains, and rivers.
The inter-dependence in the ecosystem required creation of various components for example plants were created to provide food for animals, and animal waste products are needed by the plants.
The earth was created as a test for the human. It has many signs and bounties from Allah. The successful will see them and submit to the creator.
E. The Expanding / Contracting Universe and Human Destiny
Cosmologists are scientists who study the origin and nature of the universe. They have tried to explain the observed phenomena of the cosmos appearing to expand with its various components rapidly moving away from one another. They do not know if the universe is an open or closed system. If open it will go on expanding until all matter is converted into heat energy, a phenomenon called black-holes. This is the heat death of the universe. If closed it will stop expanding and fall back in a big bang creating a new universe. In either case there will be destruction.
The Qur'an has taught that on the last day, yawm al qiyamat, the universe as we know it today will be physically destroyed, kharaab al ardh (p 93 14:48, 50:44, 56:4-6, 69:14, 73:14, 84:3-4, 89:21, 99:1-2). All humans and all living things will die. Humans only among the living things will be resurrected into a new physical life that may be in jannat or jahannam.
3.0 SIGNS OF ALLAH IN THE UNIVERSE
A. Signs in the Universe
The Qur’an like no other book of religion calls upon humans to observe the empirical world and deliberate on its bounties, ni’imat, and signs, ayat. The Qur’an for example encourages humans to explore even space ( ). Humans can learn a lot from the open book of Allah’s signs in the universe (p 41 2:259, 3:13, 10:92, 25:37, 29:15, 51:37). These signs are in the space, afaq, (p 45-46 2:164, 3:189-191, 6:59, 6:95-101, 7:57-58, 10:3-6, 10:24, 10:67, 10:101, 11:6-7, 12:105, 13:1-4, 13:12-13, 15:16-25, 16:3, 16:10-18, 16:65-69, 16:79-81, 17:12, 17:12, 20:50-54, 23:18-22, 24:41-46, 25:61-62, 26:7-8, 27:86-88, 28:71-73, 29:44, 30:22-27, 30:46, 31:10-11, 31:29-31, 32:4-5, 32:26-27, 35:41, 35:44, 39:5, 40:13, 41:9-12, 41:37-39, 41:53, 42:29, 42:32-34, 45:3-6,51:20) or in humans, anfus (p 49-50 3:6, 6:46, 6:98, 13:8, 15:26-30, 16:4-8, 16:70-72, 22:5-6, 30:20-21, 30:54, 32:7-9, 39:6, 41:53, 45:4, 51:21).
B. Believers and Signs
The believers see and understand the signs (p 44 2:73, 17:1, 20:23, 20:56, 21:37, 27:93, 31:31, 40:13, 40:81, 41:53, 43:48, 53:18). They obey the creator. The signs increase their iman (p 52-53 2:248, 3:49, 6:25, 6:35, 6:99, 6:109, 6:118, 6:124, 6:158, 7:126, 7:132, 7:146, 7:156, 10:96-97, 10:101, 15:77, 16:79, 16:104-105, 20:127, 23:58, 26:7-8, 26:67, 26:103, 26:121, 26:139, 26:158, 26:174, 26:190, 27:81, 27:86, 29:24, 29:44, 30:37, 30:53, 32:15, 39:52, 43:69, 45:3-6, 48:20) and taqwat (p 53 2:187, 3:50, 10:6, 24:34). The righteous undertake thinking, tafakkur, about the signs (p 53 2:219, 2:266, 3:191, 10:24, 13:3, 16:11, 16:69, 30:8, 38:29, 39:42, 45:13). They understand the signs (p 54 6:65, 6:98). Their certainty, yaqeen, is increased as a result (p 54 2:118, 13:2, 27:82, 32:24, 45:5, 51:20). They gain more knowledge (p 54 6:37, 6:97, 7:32, 9:11, 10:5, 27:52, 29:49, 30:22). They express gratitude to the Lord for all the signs and bounties in the creation (p 54 5:89, 7:58, 14:5, 31:31, 34:15, 34:19, 42:33).
C. Unbelievers and Signs
The unbelievers reject the signs and behave arrogantly towards them (p 41 6:93, 7:133, 39:59, 45:31). It is their arrogance that prevents them from seeing and appreciating the signs.
D. Challenge to Show Signs
The Qur’an has recorded many instances when the unbelievers have demanded signs from prophets (p 45 2:118, 6:37, 6:109, 7:106, 7:203, 10:20, 13:7, 13:27, 17:90-93, 20:133, 21:5, 26:4, 26:154, 29:50). This is a very strange and preposterous demand. There are so many signs in the universe for them to see that there is no need to ask for any more.
E. Science and the Signs
Study of science especially medicine is part of observation and reflecting on Allah’s creation, tadabbur khalq Allah. It enables you to discover many secrets of creation and many signs that Allah put in the universe for your education and intellectual growth and development. The creation of everything in pairs, the creation of opposites, symmetry, and harmony are some of the constant features of the universe that convince the human that there must be a grand design behind all this creation.
4.0 ALLAH’S WILL, iraadat al Allah
A. Allah Is Sovereign
Allah is the sovereign of the heavens and earths (p 594-6 2:107, 2:116, 2:255, 2:284, 3:83, 3:109, 3:129, 3:180, 3:189, 4:126, 4:131-132, 4:170-171, 5:17-18, 5:40, 5:120, 6:12, 7:158, 9:116, 10:55, 10:66, 10:68, 13:16, 14:2, 16:49, 16:52, 16:73, 16:77, 17:102, 18:14, 19:65, 20:6, 21:19, 21:22, 21:56, 22:64, 23:86, 24:42, 25:2, 24:64, 26:24, 30:26, 31:16, 31:26, 34:1, 34:22, 34:24, 35:40-41, 35:44, 37:5, 38:10, 38:66, 39:44, 39:63, 39:67, 42:4, 42:12, 42:49, 42:53, 43:82, 43:85, 44:7, 45:27, 46:4, 45:36-37, 48:4, 48:7, 48:14, 53:31, 57:2, 57:5, 57:10, 63:7, 78:37, 85:9).
B. Allah's Unlimited Will
One of the attributes of Allah is having an independent and unfettered will, iraadat (p 676 2:26, 2:117, 2:185, 2:253, 3:108, 3:176, 4:26-28, 5:1, 5:6, 5:17, 5:41, 5:49, 6:73, 6:125, 8:7, 8:67, 9:55, 9:85, 10:107, 11:34, 11:107, 13:11, 16:40, 17:16, 22:14, 22:16, 28:5, 33:17, 33:33, 36:82, 39:4, 39:38, 40:31, 48:11, 54:50, 74:31). He does what He wants and wills and in whatever manner He desires. He is not restricted by any physical laws or any previous actions.
C. Allah's Will and Order in the Universe
The absolute will of Allah is logical and understandable. If Allah created the universe and all what is in it and He sustains them, He must have complete control otherwise disorder and confusion will reign.
D. Limited Human Will
The absolute will of Allah contrasts with the limited will of humans. Human will is limited and is constrained in many ways. Human knowledge, 'ilm, and power, qudrat, are limited. There is wisdom in human will being limited. It enables humans to understand and appreciate Allah’s unlimited will. This would not happen if they had no experiential knowledge of limited will.
E. Will of Other Creations
Allah indeed honored humans by giving them a will that He did not give other creations. Angels have no will. Jinns have a limited will that they may use well and choose to believe or misuse and choose disbelief. Animals have no independent will. Their behavior is instinctual. Inanimate things have no will they do whatever Allah wants them to do.
5.0 CHANGE AND PERMANENCE
A. Only Allah Is Permanent
Only Allah is permanent. Everything else changes continuously. The physical laws are also permanent but their application in different circumstances produces different results. Some events like the change of day and night (diurnal rhythm) and the change of seasons are also fairly permanent and predictable but some unexpected events could occur either explained by physical laws known to humans or due to divine intervention.
B. Change of Day and Night
The Qur’an has in many verses described the changing of day and night (p 541-543 2:164, 2:184-185, 2:196, 2:259, 2:274, 3:27, 3:72, 3:190, 5:89, 6:13, 6:60, 7:54, 10:6, 10:24, 10:45. 10:50, 10:67, 11:114, 13:3, 13:10, 14:33, 16:12, 17:12, 18:19, 20:104, 20:130, 21:20. 21:33, 21:42, 22:61, 23:80, 23:113, 24:44, 25:47, 25:62, 27:86, 28:72-73, 30:23, 31:29, 34:18, 34:33, 35:13, 36:37, 36:40, 39:5, 40:61, 41:37-38, 45:5, 46:35, 57:6, 62:9, 69:7, 71:5, 73:3, 73:20, 78:11, 91:3, 92:2). Physicians and other students of biology have paid a lot of attention to this because biology is intimately related to the biological clock. This biological clock operates on a daily basis i.e. hours of sleep and wakefulness. It also operates on a monthly basis for female menstruation.
C. Changes in Matter
Changes in the properties and states of matter are described by the Qur’an for example the interchange between hot and cold (p 189 21:69, 24:43, 38:42, 56:44, 67:13, 78:24).
Physical features of the earth have changed. Today’s deserts were more hospitable in the past. Antarctica was inhabited. During the ice age, a lot of water was held up in the mass of ice. When the climate became warmer, the ice melted and the water cover over the earth increased in area. What is today ocean floor was at one time dry land. The phenomenon of global warming being witnessed today may herald major climatic changes. The heat could lead to the melting of the polar ice cap releasing a lot of water into the oceans and raising their level. Many countries will be flooded, islands will be submerged, and habitats will be changed.
D. Changes of Energy
One of the major discoveries in science is that matter and energy are inter-changeable. Energy can change from form to another. Matter can also change from one form to another.
E. Regulation and Coordination of Change
The miracle of Allah’s creation is that changes are regulated and are coordinated. They follow a system. Such phenomena can occur only occur in a situation in which there is one powerful creator for the universe.