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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Self-Evident Miracles of the Holy Qur'an (1)

 

Self-Evident Miracles of the Holy Qur'an (1)

(Source: Dr. Zakir Naik & Dr. M.U. Kazi)

 

'And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: "Take you habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what you erect. Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you)". There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colours wherein is healing for mankind. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think'. Holy Qur'an Chapter 16 (An-Nahl) Verses 68 & 69.

 

In Arabic, different verb forms are used to distinguish the male and female gender. In these verses the Qur'an uses the female form. Thus, the Qur'an clearly states that the female bee is entrusted with the task of collecting the food and making honey. The difference between the male and female bee is so minute that only an expert can discern it. Needless to say, Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) was not an entomologist and could not have discerned between the male and female bee. For centuries, popular belief alleged that bees seen outside were male and that they answered to a king bee. Recent advancements in entomology have shown that it is the female bees flying around and that they answer to a queen bee. In other words the soldier or worker bee is a female bee. In fact, in Shakespeare's play, 'Henry the Fourth', some of the characters speak about bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and that they have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespearean times. They thought that the worker bees are male bees and they go home and are answerable to a king bee. This, however, is not true. The worker bees are females and they do not report to a king bee but to a queen bee. But it took modern investigations in the last 300 years to discover this.

Another amazing fact disclosed in this verse was that the bee honey is something hat comes forth from their bellies. The bee assimilates juices of various kinds of flowers and fruits and forms honey within its body, which it stores in its cells of wax. Only a couple of centuries ago humans came to know that honey comes from the belly of the bee. But this fact was mentioned in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago in the above verse.

We are only now aware that honey has healing properties and is also a mild antiseptic. The Russians would use honey to cover their wounds in World War II. The wound would retain moisture and would leave very little scar tissue. Due to the density of honey, no fungus or bacteria could grow in the wound. Dramatic improvements were visible in 22 incurable chest and Alzheimer's disease patients at nursing Homes in England who were treated by Sister Carole, a nun, with propolis, a substance which bees produce to seal hives against bacteria. A person suffering from an allergy of a particular plant may be given honey from that plant so that the person develops resistance to that allergy. Honey is also rich in fructose and vitamin K. The knowledge contained in the Qur'an regarding honey, its origin and properties, was discovered centuries after its revelation.

Von-Frisch received the Nobel Prize in 1973 for his research on the behaviour and communication of the bees. The Qur'an mentions in the above verses how the bee with its skill, finds the spacious paths of its Lord. The bee, after discovering any new garden or flower, goes back and tells its fellow bees the exact direction and map to get there, which is known as 'bee dance'. The meanings of this insect's movements that are intended to transmit information between worker bees have been discovered scientifically using photography and other methods.

In fact, Allah Subhanahuwa ta'ala at the end of the above verses telling the whole of mankind that: 'Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think'. Let us think and make our non-Muslim brethren also to think about the self evident truth of the last and the final Testament to the whole of mankind.   

 

"Invite (all) to the Way of your Rabb (Only God, Cherisher and Sustainer) with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious, for your Rabb knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance" (Qur'an 16:125)

"You are the best of people chosen for mankind because you command righteousness, forbid evil and believe  in Allah" (Qur'an 3: 110).


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