The Importance of Affirmative Action in America Essay

The Importance of Affirmative Action in America Affirmative action is a much debated topic based on the efforts of our government to overcome prejudicial treatment through inclusion. Affirmative action is a way of helping minorities in our country get jobs and avoid racial injustice. Many large companies have increased their employment of minorities after adopting these policies (Plous). Despite the efforts of affirmative action today, women still only earn 76 cents for every dollar earned by males. There are 1.3 million unemployed African-American civilians and 112 million employed white civilians. Statistics show that if every unemployed Black worker in the United States were to displace a White worker, only 1% of Whites would†¦show more content†¦The author of this article feels that for the University of Michigan to have an open discussion about affirmative action, the arguments will continue until racial preferences at the school will no longer exist. Those who do not support affirmative action are unfortunately, by definition, a racist (Unite...). So who really benefits from affirmative action in the long run? Meet Jaray, Jaray is an African-American who recently graduated from his high school in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated with a GPA of 3.3 and applied to the University of Chicago. Now meet Steve, a white with a GPA of 3.3 who also applied to this University. They both applied in November and have been waiting patiently to hear back. Unfortunately for Steve, this University is one of many that support affirmative action. Seeing how both of them have the same educational skill level, the board of admissions turned to the topic of race. The University of Chicago has already accepted 1,078 new freshmen and only 20% of them are African-American. So Jaray got the acceptance letter and Steve had to turn to another school. Is this fair? Should Steve get turned away just because his application happened to be against Jarays? 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The Construction Of Panjagutta Flyover - 3584 Words

Scenario During the construction of panjagutta flyover sudden collapsion of flyover took place on 9th September year 2007.A flyover under construction at panjagutta has collapsed leaving 15 people dead, there was no particular reasons founds for the sudden collapsion of panjagutta flyover. It is still uncertain if the incident happened because lack of quantity in the recently undertaken works, lack of safety measures or due to heavy rains occurred. The foundation stone construction of the bridge was done in September 2005, the flyover works were delayed and he administration extended the dead line of the completion of flyover and asked the company to complete work according to their comfort. The total road length of the project i.e.†¦show more content†¦A range of possible meanings of Risk -Risk = an unwanted event which may or may not occur - Risk = the cause of an unwanted event which may or may not occur. -Risk = the probability of unwanted event which may or may not occur. -Risk – The statistical expectation value of unwanted event which may or may not occur. Some safety measures should be taken before constructing a highway. Workers Safety : As our highway infrastructures agency and many transport agencies are focusing on rebuilding and improving existing road ways. That means more hard work is being performed on roadways that are open to traffic. Worker Visibility: ï  ¶ –Requires the use of high visibility safety apparels by workers who are working with the sights of way of federal and highway. ï  ¶ High visibility standards – Provides a guide to the design performance specifications and use of high visibility and reflective apparel including vests, Jackets, Blub /jumpsuit coveralls trousers and harness. ï  ¶ NWSH recommendations to prevent back over injuries and fataceteces – Provides recommendations for employees and include topics such as equipment operation and servicing communication and training. ï  ¶ NIOSH construction equipment visibility – Discusses the national institute of occupations safety and health’s (NIOSH) efforts to reduce the number of workers struck by road construction equipment. ï  ¶ Know the bund sports – This illustrates hazards

Allahs Miracles in the Quran Essay Example For Students

Allahs Miracles in the Quran Essay Muslims Should Read Allahs Miracles in the Quran Truly it (the Quran) is revelation sent down by the Lord of all the worlds. (Quran, 26:192) Harun Yahya ISBN June 2005 Printed in India (c) Goodword Books, 2005 Goodword Books 1, Nizamuddin West Market, New Delhi 110 013 Tel. 435 5454, 435 1128, 435 6666 Fax. 435 7333, 435 7980 e-mail: [emailprotected] com Website: www. goodwordbooks. com Translated by Carl Rossini Edited by David Livingstone, Qaiser M. Talib, Jay Willoughby Abbreviations used: (saas sall-Allahu alyahi wa sallam): May Allah bless him and grant him peace (following a reference to Prophet Muhammad) as alayhis-salam): Peace be upon him (following a reference to the prophets) All translations from the Quran are from The Noble Quran: a New Rendering of its Meaning in English by Hajj Abdalhaqq an Aisha Bewley, published by Bookwork, Norwich, UK. 1420 CE/1999 AH PREFACE BOOK ONE: Allahs Scientific Miracles in the Quran The Formation of the Universe The Expanding Universe Th e End of the Universe and the Big Crunch Creation from Hot Smoke The Separation of the Heavens and the Earth The Creation of What Lies between the Heavens and the Earth The Perfect Equilibrium in the Universe The Fine Tuning in the Universe The Structural Differences between the Sun, the Moon and the Stars Orbits and the Rotating Universe The Suns Trajectory The Moons Orbit Calculating the Lunar Year The Force of Gravity and Orbital Movements The Spherical Earth The Earths Direction of Rotation The Earths Geoid Shape The Diameters of the Earth and Space Atmospheric Layers The Well-Guarded Sky The Sky Made a Dome The Sky that Returns The Layers of the Earth The Earth Disgorges Its Charges Mountains Role The Moving Mountains Different Points in the Rising and Setting of the Sun Land Loss at the Extremities The Splitting Earth The Miraculous Iron The Formation of Petrol The Relativity of Time Creation in Six Days The Truth of Destiny Duality in Creation Sub-Atomic Particles Black Holes Pulsars: Pulsating Stars The Star Sirius Light and Dark Combustion without Fire The Weight of Clouds Rain in Measured Amounts How Rain Forms The Quivering and Swelling of the Earth Rains which Bring a Dead Land Back to Life The Formation of Hail, Thunder and Lightning Winds that Fecundate The Stages of Wind Formation How the Process of Photosynthesis Begins in the Morning The Separate Seas The Dark Depths of the Seas and Internal Waves The Region Responsible for Our Movements Hearts Find Peace in the Remembrance of Allah Forgiveness According to the Morals of Islam and Its Benefits on Health How Prayer Accelerates the Treatment of the Sick Stress and Depression: The Results of Not Abiding by the Religion A Human Beings Creation The Creation of Human Beings from Water Creation from Clay The Programming in Genes The Menstrual Period Pregnancy and Birth The Sequence in Development of Human Organs The Formation of Milk The Miraculous Mixture: A Mothers Milk The Identity Hidden in the Fingerprint The Female Honey Bee The Miracle of Honey The Date and Its Uses as Described in the Quran The Fig: A Fruit whose Perfection Has Only Recently Been Revealed Fish: A Valuable Source of Nutrition Pork and Its Harmful Effects on Health The Olive: A Health-Giving Plant Coronary By-Pass Surgery Health Benefits of Movement, Washing and Drinking Water The Existence of Microscopic Life The Existence of Animal Societies Biomimetics: Drawing Inspiration from the Design in Living Things Locusts Moving in Swarms Ant Communication The Food Cycle The Ears Are Active During Sleep The Importance of Movement in Sleep Reduced Movement at Night Chest Contraction with Increasing Height BOOK TWO: Predictions in the Quran Introduction Byzantine Empires Victory The Preservation of Pharaohs Body The Conquest of Makkah The Tribe of Israel Will Become Very Haughty The Exploration of Space The Voyage to the Moon Modern Means of Transport Plane Technology Image Transmission Smell Transference The Use of Electricity Artesian Wells The Army-Ant in Technology Atomic Energy and Fission BOOK THREE: The Historical Facts Recorded in the Quran Haman and Ancient Egypt Monuments Prophet Musa (as) and Seas Splitting in Two The Troubles which Afflicted Pharaoh and Those around Him The Word Pharaoh in the Quran The Prophet Musa (as) Referred to as a Magician Nuhs Flood The City of Iram The Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah The People of Saba and the Arim Flood The People of Al-Hijr BOOK FOUR: Allahs Mathematical Miracles in the Quran Word Repetitions in the Quran Numerological Calculations (Abjad) in the Quran The Miracle of 19 in the Quran BOOK FIVE: The Perfection of the Quran from the Literary Aspect The Inimitability of the Quran Comments about the Quran from Various Scholars CONCLUSION: The Quran Is Allahs Revelation APPENDIX: The Deception of Evolution TO THE READER A special chapter is assigned to the collapse of the theory of evolution because this theory constitutes the basis of all anti-spiritual philosophies. Since Darwinism rejects the fact of creation-and therefore, Allahs existence-over the last 140 years it has caused many people to abandon their faith or fall into doubt. It is therefore an imperative service, a very important duty to show everyone that this theory is a deception. Since some readers may find the chance to read only one of our books, we think it appropriate to devote a chapter to summarize this subject. All the authors books explain faith-related issues in light of Quranic verses, and invite readers to learn Allahs words and to live by them. All the subjects concerning Allahs verses are explained so as to leave no doubt or room for questions in the readers mind. The books sincere, plain, and fluent style ensures that everyone of every age and from every social group can easily understand them. Thanks to their effective, lucid narrative, they can be read at one sitting. Even those who rigorously reject spirituality are influenced by the facts these books document and cannot refute the truthfulness of their contents. This and all the other books by the author can be read individually, or discussed in a group. Readers eager to profit from the books will find discussion very useful, letting them relate their reflections and experiences to one another. In addition, it will be a great service to Islam to contribute to the publication and reading of these books, written solely for the pleasure of Allah. The authors books are all extremely convincing. For this reason, to communicate true religion to others, one of the most effective methods is encouraging them to read these books. We hope the reader will look through the reviews of his other books at the back of this book. His rich source material on faith-related issues is very useful, and a pleasure to read. In these books, unlike some other books, you will not find the authors personal views, explanations based on dubious sources, styles that are unobservant of the respect and reverence due to sacred subjects, nor hopeless, pessimistic arguments that create doubts in the mind and eviations in the heart. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Now writing under the pen-name of HARUN YAHYA, he was born in Ankara in 1956. Having completed his primary and secondary education in Ankara, he studied arts at Istanbuls Mimar Sinan University and philosophy at Istanbul University. Since the 1980s, he has published many books on political, scientific, and faith-related issues. Harun Yahya is well-known as the a uthor of important works disclosing the imposture of evolutionists, their invalid claims, and the dark liaisons between Darwinism and such bloody ideologies as fascism and communism. His pen-name is a composite of the names Harun (Aaron) and Yahya (John), in memory of the two esteemed Prophets who fought against their peoples lack of faith. The Prophets seal on his books covers is symbolic and is linked to their contents. It represents the Quran (the Final Scripture) and Prophet Muhammad (saas), last of the prophets. Under the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet ), the author makes it his purpose to disprove each fundamental tenet of godless ideologies and to have the last word, so as to completely silence the objections raised against religion. He uses the seal of the final Prophet (saas), who attained ultimate wisdom and moral perfection, as a sign of his intention to offer the last word. All of Harun Yahyas works share one single goal: to convey the Qurans message, encourage readers to consider basic faith-related issues such as Allahs existence and unity and the Hereafter; and to expose godless systems feeble foundations and perverted ideologies. Harun Yahya enjoys a wide readership in many countries, from India to America, England to Indonesia, Poland to Bosnia, and Spain to Brazil. Some of his books are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Urdu, Arabic, Albanian, Russian, Serbo-Croat (Bosnian), Polish, Malay, Uygur Turkish, and Indonesian. Greatly appreciated all around the world, these works have been instrumental in many people recovering faith in Allah and gaining deeper insights into their faith. His books wisdom and sincerity, together with a distinct style thats easy to understand, directly affect anyone who reads them. Those who seriously consider these books, can no longer advocate atheism or any other perverted ideology or materialistic philosophy, since these books are characterized by rapid effectiveness, definite results, and irrefutability. Even if they continue to do so, it will be only a sentimental insistence, since these books refute such ideologies from their very foundations. All contemporary movements of denial are now ideologically defeated, thanks to the books written by Harun Yahya. This is no doubt a result of the Qurans wisdom and lucidity. The author modestly intends to serve as a means in humanitys search for Allahs right path. No material gain is sought in the publication of these works. Those who encourage others to read these books, to open their minds and hearts and guide them to become more devoted servants of Allah, render an invaluable service. Meanwhile, it would only be a waste of time and energy to propagate other books that create confusion in peoples minds, lead them into ideological chaos, and that clearly have no strong and precise effects in removing the doubts in peoples hearts, as also verified from previous experience. It is impossible for books devised to emphasize the authors literary power rather than the noble goal of saving people from loss of faith, to have such a great effect. Those who doubt this can readily see that the sole aim of Harun Yahyas books is to overcome disbelief and to disseminate the Qurans moral values. The success and impact of this service are manifested in the readers conviction. One point should be kept in mind: The main reason for the continuing cruelty, conflict, and other ordeals endured by the vast majority of people is the ideological prevalence of disbelief. This can be ended only with the ideological defeat of disbelief and by conveying the wonders of creation and Quranic morality so that people can live by it. Considering the state of the world today, leading into a downward spiral of violence, corruption and conflict, clearly this service must be provided speedily and effectively, or it may be too late. In this effort, the books of Harun Yahya assume a leading role. By the will of Allah, these books will be a means through which people in the twenty-first century will attain the peace, justice, and happiness promised in the Quran. PREFACE Fourteen centuries ago, Allah sent down the Quran. This book of guidance and wisdom calls man to the truth and instructs all human beings to adhere to the values which this mighty revelation contains. From the day of its revelation to the Day of Judgement, this last divine book will remain as the sole guide for humanity. The book of Allah states, But it is nothing less than a Reminder to all the worlds. (Quran, 68:52) Ever since the Quran was revealed, it has possessed an easily understandable language and tone, accessible to all people and in all times. Allah tells us of this style in the Quran: We have made the Quran easy to remember (Quran, 54:22) The perfection of the literary language of the Quran, the incomparable features of its style and the superior wisdom contained within it are some of the definitive proofs that it represents the word of our Lord. In addition, the Quran contains within its words many miracles which prove it to be Allahs word. One of these attributes is the remarkable number of scientific truths which are contained in the Book of Islam. In this book which was revealed over fourteen centuries ago to the Prophet Muhammad (saas), there are innumerable examples of information humanity have only been able to uncover by the technology of the 20th and 21st centuries. Of course, we should not view the Quran as a book of science for it is primarily a book of moral and spiritual guidance. However, many scientific facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound manner, within the verses of the Quran, have only been discovered by scientists with the aid of the technological advancement of the 20th and 21st centuries. Quite simply, these facts which we now point out to the reader could not have been known at the time of the Qurans revelation, and this is still more proof that the Quran is the word of Allah. In order to understand the scientific miracles contained in the Quran, we must first look at the level of scientific knowledge which existed at the time when this holy book was revealed. When one understands the context in which the Quran was revealed, one can understand more clearly how extraordinary the book of Islam actually is. In the 7th century, when these sacred verses were sent down, Arab society was awash with many superstitious and groundless notions. Lacking the technology to examine the universe and nature, these early Arabs believed in uncorroborated tales inherited from past generations and did not question them. For example, they supposed that mountains supported the sky above. They believed that the Earth was flat and that mountains acted as pillars that kept the vault of heaven high above us. Into this atmosphere of legend and myth, the Quran came down. It replaced ignorance with knowledge and illogical conjecture with guidance and certainty. One verse of the Quran states, Allah is He Who raised up the heavens without any support (Quran, 13:2) This verse invalidated the belief that the sky remains above because of support from the mountains. The Quran is filled with important facts which were revealed at a point in human history when no man could possibly have known them. The Quran-which was revealed at a time when people knew very little about astronomy, physics, or biology-contains key facts on a variety of subjects all of which point to the fact that it is revealed by Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Some of the subjects explained and dealt with in the Quran are: the creation of the universe, the creation and miraculous development of the human being from miniscule embryo to grown adult, the structure of the atmosphere in which we live and the delicate balances that make life on Earth possible. In order to understand some of these points more fully, let us look at some of these scientific miracles revealed in the Quran together. BOOK ONE ALLAHS SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES IN THE QURAN THE FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE Until the mid-20th century, the prevalent view across the world was that the universe was infinite, had existed forever and that it will continue to do so for all time. According to this view, known as the static universe model, the universe had no end or beginning. In maintaining that the universe is a collection of fixed, static and unchanging substances, this view has constituted the basis of materialist philosophy and has consequently rejected the existence of a Creator. However, as science and technology progressed during the 20th century, the static universe model has been completely uprooted. We have now entered the 21st century and a new dawn is upon us. Through numerous experiments, observations and calculation conducted by some of the worlds most prominent thinkers, modern physics has proven that the universe did indeed have a beginning, that it came into being from nothing in a single moment in a huge explosion. Furthermore, it has been established that the universe is not fixed and static, as materialists still stubbornly maintain. On the contrary, it is undergoing a constant process of movement, change and expansion. These recently-established facts all act as nails in the coffin of the static universe theory. Today, all these facts are universally accepted by the scientific community. The origin of the universe is described in the Quran in the following verse: He created the heavens and the Earth from nothing. (Quran, 6:101) This information is in full agreement with the findings of contemporary scientists. As we stated earlier, the conclusion that astrophysics has reached today is that the entire universe, together with the dimensions of matter and time, came into existence as a result of a great explosion that occurred a long time ago. This event, known as The Big Bang, is the catalyst for the creation of the universe from nothingness. This explosion, all parties in the scientific community agree, emanated from a single point some 15 billion years ago. (See Harun Yahya, The Creation of the Universe, Al-Attique Publishers Inc. , Canada, 2000) THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE In the Quran, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago at a time when the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in the following terms: And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Quran, 51:47) The word heaven, as stated in the verse above, is used in various places in the Quran. It is referring to space and the wider universe. Here again, the word is used with this meaning, stating that the universe expands. The Arabic word moosioona in the term inna lamoosioona, translated into English as it is We Who are steadily expanding it, comes from the verb awsaa, meaning to expand. The prefix la emphasises the following name or title and adds a sense of to a great extent. This expression therefore means We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent. This is the very conclusion that science has reached today. Until the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the world of science was that the universe has a constant nature and it has existed since infinite time. However, modern research, observations, and calculations carried out by means of modern technology have revealed that the universe in fact had a beginning and that it constantly expands. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann and the Belgian co smologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically calculated that the universe is in constant motion and that it is expanding. This notion was confirmed by the use of observational data in 1929. While observing the sky with a telescope, Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer, discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving away from each other. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy. During these observations, Hubble established that the stars emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. That is because according to the known laws of physics, light heading towards a point of observation turns violet, and light moving away from that point assumes a more reddish hue. During his observations, Hubble noted a tendency towards the colour red in the light emitted by stars. In short, the stars were moving further and further away, all the time. The stars and galaxies were not only moving away from us, but also from each other. A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe. The observations carried out in the following years verified that the universe is constantly expanding. In order to gain a clearer understanding of this, let us imagine the universe to be the surface of a balloon being inflated. In the same way that the more the balloon is inflated, the further away the points on its surface move from one another, celestial bodies also move away from one another as the universe expands. This was theoretically discovered by Albert Einstein, regarded as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. However, in order to avoid violating the static universe model that was generally accepted at that time, Einstein laid that discovery aside. He would later describe this as the greatest blunder of his life. This fact was explained in the Quran in a time when telescopes and similar technological advancements were not even close to being invented. This is because the Quran is the word of Allah: the Creator and Ruler of the entire universe. THE END OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE BIG CRUNCH As we have stated above, the creation of the universe began with a huge explosion. From this point, the universe has been expanding ever since. Scientists say that when the mass of the universe has re ached a sufficient level, this expansion will come to an end because of gravity, causing the universe to collapse in on itself. It is also believed that the contracting universe will end in a fierce heat and contraction known as the Big Crunch. This would lead to the end of all forms of life as we know them. Renata Kallosh and Andrei Linde, professors of physics from Stanford University, made the following statements on the subject: The universe may be doomed to collapse and disappear. Everything we see now, and at a much larger distance that we cannot see, will collapse into a point smaller than a proton. Locally, it will be the same as if you were inside a black hole The Anti War Movement Of The Vietnam War EssayYet even these are sufficient to definitively reveal that the Earth and the universe could not have come into being as the result of a number of consecutive coincidences. The concepts of fine-tuning and the anthropic principle that began to be employed in the 20th century are further evidence of Allahs creation. The harmony and proportion therein were described with magnificent accuracy fourteen centuries ago in the Quran. THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS We built seven firm layers above you. We installed a blazing lamp. (Quran, 78:12-13) As we know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun. The expression lamp in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic word siraaj, which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source of light and heat. In the Quran Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Quran: Dont you see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the Moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? (Quran, 71:15-16) In the above verse, the word light is used for the Moon (noor in Arabic) and the word lamp for the Sun (siraaj in Arabic. ) The word used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body. The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning, a constant source of heat and light. On the other hand, the word star comes from the Arabic root najama, meaning appearing, emerging, visible. As in the verse below, stars are also referred to by the word thaaqib, which is used for that which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning: It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Quran, 86:3) We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qura n in an age when mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of their own accord. It was an age when peoples knowledge of celestial bodies was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the miraculous nature of the book of Islam. ORBITS AND THE ROTATING UNIVERSE One of the most important reasons for the great equilibrium in the universe is the fact that celestial bodies follow specific paths. Stars, planets and satellites all rotate around their own axes and also rotate together with the system of which they are a part. The universe functions within a finely-tuned order, just like the wheels in a factory. There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the visible universe and each small galaxy contains approximately a billion stars. Furthermore, each big galaxy contains more than a trillion. 17 Many of these stars have planets and many of those planets have satellites. All these celestial bodies follow the most finely calculated paths and orbits. For millions of years, each one has been moving in its own path in flawless harmony with all the others. In addition to these, there are also a great many comets moving along in their own pre-determined paths. In addition, the paths in the universe are not restricted to a few celestial bodies. The Solar System and even other galaxies also exhibit considerable motion around other centres. Every year, Earth, and the Solar System with it, move some 500 million km (310 million miles) from where they were the previous year. It has been calculated that even the slightest deviation from celestial bodies paths could have drastic consequences which might spell the end of the entire system. For example, the consequences of the Earths deviating from its course by a mere 3 mm have been described in one source as follows: While rotating around the sun, the earth follows such an orbit that, every 18 miles, it only deviates 2. millimetres from a direct course. The orbit followed by the earth never changes, because even a deviation of 3 millimetres would cause catastrophic disasters: If the deviation were 2. 5 mm instead of 2. 8 mm, then the orbit would be very large, and all of us would freeze. If the deviation were 3. 1 mm, we would be scorched to death. 18 Another characteristic of heavenly bodies is that they also rotate around their own axes. The verse which reads by Heaven wi th its cyclical systems, (Quran, 86:11) indicates this truth. Naturally, at the time when the Quran was revealed, people had no telescopes with which to study bodies millions of kilometres away in space, advanced observation technology or our modern knowledge of physics and astronomy. It was therefore impossible to establish that space had its oscillating orbits, (Quran, 51:7) as described in the verse. The Quran however, revealed at that time, provided clear information concerning that fact. This is proof that this book is indeed Allahs word. THE SUNS TRAJECTORY It is stressed in the Quran that the Sun and Moon follow specific trajectories: It is He Who created night and day and the Sun and Moon, each one swimming in a sphere. (Quran, 21:33) The word swim in the above verse is expressed in Arabic by the word sabaha and is used to describe the movement of the Sun in space. The word means that the Sun does not move randomly through space but that it rotates around its axis and follows a course as it does so. The fact that the Sun is not fixed in position but rather follows a specific trajectory is also stated in another verse: And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Quran, 36:38) These facts set out in the Quran were only discovered by means of astronomical advances in our own time. According to astronomers calculations, the Sun moves along a path known as the Solar Apex in the path of the star Vega at an incredible speed of 720,000 kmph (447,000 mph). In rough terms, this shows that the Sun traverses some 17. 28 million km (10. 74 million miles) a day. As well as the Sun itself, all the planets and satellites within its gravitational field also travel the same distance. THE MOONS ORBIT And We have decreed set phases for the Moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. It is not for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the day; each one is swimming in a sphere. (Quran, 36:39-40) The Moon does not follow a regular orbit like the satellites of other planets. As it orbits the Earth, it sometimes moves behind it and sometimes in front. As it also moves with the Earth around the Sun, it actually follows a constant pattern resembling the letter S in space. This route, traced by the Moon in space, is described in the Quran as resembling an old date branch and does indeed resemble the twisted form of the date tree branch. Indeed, the word urjoon employed in the Quran refers to a thin and twisted date branch and is used to describe that part left after the fruit has been picked. The way that this branch is described as old is also most appropriate since old date branches are thinner and more twisted. There is no doubt that it was impossible for anyone to have any knowledge about the orbit of the Moon 1,400 years ago. The way that this pattern, identified by modern technology and accumulated knowledge, was revealed in the Book is yet another scientific miracle of the Quran. CALCULATING THE LUNAR YEAR It is He Who appointed the Sun to give radiance, and the Moon to give light, assigning it phases so you would know the number of years and the reckoning of time. Allah did not create these things except with truth. We make the signs clear for people who know. (Quran, 10:5) And We have decreed set phases for the Moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. (Quran, 36:39) In the first of the above verses, Allah has clearly revealed that the Moon will be a means of measurement for people to calculate the year. Furthermore, our attention is also drawn to the fact that these calculations will be performed according to the positions of the Moon as it revolves in its orbit. Since the angles between the Earth and Moon and the Moon and Sun constantly change, we see the Moon in different forms at different times. Furthermore, our ability to see the Moon is made possible by the fact that it is illuminated by the Sun. The amount of the lighted half of the Moon we see from Earth changes. Bearing in mind these changes, a number of calculations can be made, making it possible for human beings to measure the year. In former times a month was calculated as the time between two full moons, or the time it took the Moon to travel around the Earth. According to this, one month was equal to 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. This is known as the lunar month. Twelve lunar months represent one year, according to the Hijri calendar. However, there is a difference of eleven days between the Hijri calendar and the Gregorian calendar, in which a year is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. Indeed, attention is drawn to this difference in another verse: They stayed in their cave for three hundred years and added nine. (Quran, 18:25) We can clarify the time referred to in the verse thus: 300 years x 11 days (the difference which forms every year) = 3,300 days. Bearing in mind that one solar year lasts 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45. 5 seconds, 3,300 days/365. 24 days = 9 years. To put it another way, 300 years according to the Gregorian calendar is equal to 300+9 years according to the Hijri calendar. As we can see, the verse refers to this finely calculated difference of 9 years. (Allah knows best. ) There is no doubt that the Quran, which contains such pieces of information, which transcended the everyday knowledge of the time, is a miraculous revelation. THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND ORBITAL MOVEMENTS No! I swear by the planets-that recede, that ride their course hide themselves. (Quran, 81: 15-16) The word khunnas in Surat at-Takwir 15 bears such meanings as shrinking and cowering, retracting and turning back. The Arabic expression translated as hide themselves in the 16th verse is kunnas, the plural form of kaanis, which refers to a specific path: entering a nest, the home of a body in motion, or things entering their homes and hiding there. Again in verse 16, the word jawaar, the plural form of jariyah, which means one that moves and flows, is translated as that ride their course. Bearing the meanings in mind, it is very possible that these verses refer to the gravitational forces of the planets and their movements around their orbits. These words in the above verses fully describe orbital movements stemming from the force of gravity. Of these, the word khunnas refers to the planets attraction towards their own centres and also their attraction towards the Sun, which is the centre of our Solar System. (Allah knows best. The force of gravity already existed in the universe-although it was only possible to reveal this attractive force with mathematical formulae with Sir Isaac Newton, who lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. The word jawaar in the following verse emphasises the orbital movements that arise as a result of the centrifugal force that opposes this attractive one. There is no doubt that the use of the word ja waar together with khunnas (attraction towards the centre, shrinkage) and kunnas (path, entering the nest, the home of a body in motion) indicates an important scientific truth that nobody could have known about 1,400 years ago. Allah knows best. ) Moreover, these verses, one of the subjects sworn on in the Quran, are another indication of the importance of the subject. THE SPHERICAL EARTH He has created the heavens and the Earth for truth. He wraps the night up in the day, and wraps the day up in the night. (Quran, 39:5) In the Quran, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The Arabic word which is translated as to wrap in the above verse is yukawwir. In English, it means to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment that is laid away. For instance, in Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing around another, in the way that a turban is put on. The information given in the verse about the day and the night wrap ping each other up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true only if the Earth is round. This means that in the Quran, which was revealed in the 7th century, the roundness of the world was hinted at. However, it should be remembered that the understanding of astronomy of the time perceived the world differently. It was then thought that the world was a flat plane and all scientific calculations and explanations were based on this belief. However, the glorious Quran has employed the most definitive words when it came to describing the universe. These facts, which we could only correctly fathom in our century, have been in the Quran for a vast length of time. THE EARTHS DIRECTION OF ROTATION You will see the mountains and reckon them to be solid; but they go past like clouds-the handiwork of Allah Who gives to everything its solidity. He is aware of what you do. (Quran, 27:88) The above verse emphasises that the Earth not only rotates but that it also has a direction of rotation. The direction of movement of the main cloud masses at 3,500-4,000 metres (11,500-13,000 feet) high is always from West to East. That is why it is generally the state of the weather in the West which is looked at in meteorological forecasts. 19 The main reason why cloud masses are pulled from West to East is the direction in which the Earth rotates. As we now know, our Earth spins from West to East. This scientific fact, only recently established by science, was revealed in the Quran 1,400 years ago, at a time when the Earth was believed to be flat, and to be resting on the back of an elephant. THE EARTHS GEOID SHAPE After that He smoothed out the Earth. (Quran, 79:30) In the above verse, the word dahaa is used in the original Arabic. It, translated as smoothed out, comes from the word dahaw, meaning to spread. Although the word dahaw also means to cover or to set out, the meaning of the verb is more than just a prosaic setting out, since it describes setting out in a circle. The concept of roundness is also present in other words derived from dahaw. For example, the word dahaw also refers to children dropping a ball into a hole in the ground, games involving throwing stones into holes and games played with walnuts. Words derived from that root are also used for an ostrich making a nest, cleaning stones from where it is about to lie down, the place where it lays its eggs and the egg itself. Indeed, the Earth is round, in a manner reminiscent of an egg. The slightly flattened spherical shape of the Earth is known as geoid. From that point of view, the use of the word dahaa contains important information about the shape that Allah has given to the Earth. For hundreds of years, people imagined the Earth to be completely flat and only learned the truth thanks to technology. Yet, this fact was revealed in the Quran fourteen centuries ago. THE DIAMETERS OF THE EARTH AND SPACE Company of jinn and men, if you are able to pierce through the confines of the heavens and Earth, pierce through them. You will not pierce through except with a clear authority. (Quran, 55:33) The Arabic word translated as confines in the above verse is aqtaar. This is the plural form of the word qutr, meaning diameter and refers to the skies and the Earth having many diameters. It is possible in Arabic to tell from the form in which a word is used whether it is singular, plural (more than two), or employed in a dual form. Therefore, the form of the word used here, the plural, refers to another piece of miraculous information. A three-dimensional body can only be said to have a single diameter if it is perfectly spherical. The term diameters can only refer to an irregular but basically spherical shape. This word chosen in the Quran-diameters-is important from the point of view of indicating the geoid shape of the Earth. The second noteworthy subject in the verse is that the Earth and the heavens are mentioned separately in reference to diameters. According to Albert Einsteins General Theory of Relativity, the universe is expanding. But this does not mean that the galaxies and other heavenly bodies are being dispersed in space. This means that space is expanding and that the distance between the galaxies is increasing. The definition of the confines of the heavens in Surat ar-Rahman 33 indicates the spherical structure of space. (Allah knows best. ) In the same way that the diameters of space will be different from different points in space, so the diameters of a constantly expanding space will also display differences. From that point of view the use of the plural form of the word confine is full of wisdom, and is one of the indications that the Quran is the revelation of our Omniscient Lord. ATMOSPHERIC LAYERS One fact about the universe revealed in the verses of the Quran is that the sky is made up of seven layers: It is He Who created everything on the Earth for you and then directed His attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular heavens. He has knowledge of all things. (Quran, 2:29) Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate. (Quran, 41:11-12) The word heavens, which appears in many verses in the Quran, is used to refer to the sky above the Earth, as well as the entire universe. Given this meaning of the word, it is seen that the Earths sky, or the atmosphere, is made up of seven layers. Today, it is known that the worlds atmosphere consists of different layers that lie on top of each other. 20 Based on the criteria of chemical contents or air temperature, the definitions made have determined the atmosphere of the Earth as seven layers. 21 According to the Limited Fine Mesh Model (LFMMII), a model of atmosphere used to estimate weather conditions for 48 hours, the atmosphere has also 7 layers. According to the modern geological definitions the seven layers of atmosphere are as follows: 1. Troposphere 2. Stratosphere 3. Mesosphere . Thermosphere 5. Exosphere 6. Ionosphere 7. Magnetosphere The Quran says, revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate, in Surah Fussilat 12. In other words, Allah is stating that He assigned each heaven its own duty. Truly, as will be seen in following chapters, each one of these layers has vital duties for the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the Earth. Each layer has a particular function, ranging from forming rain to preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves to averting the harmful effects of meteors. The verses below inform us about the appearance of the seven layers of the atmosphere: Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers? (Quran, 71:15) He Who created the seven heavens in layers (Quran, 67:3) The Arabic word tibaaq in these verses, translated into English as layer means layer, the appropriate cover or covering for something, and thus stresses how the top layer is well suited to the lower. The word is also used in the plural here: layers. The sky, described in the verse as being in layers, is without doubt the most perfect expression of the atmosphere. It is a great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly be discovered without the technology of the 20th century, were explicitly stated by the Quran 1,400 years ago. THE WELL-GUARDED SKY In the Quran, Allah calls our attention to a very important attribute of the sky: We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our signs. (Quran, 21:32) This attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried out in the 20th century: The atmosphere surrounding the Earth serves crucial functions for the continuity of life. While destroying many meteors-big and small-as they approach the Earth, it prevents them from falling to Earth and harming living things. In addition, the atmosphere filters the light rays coming from space that are harmful to living things. The mo