THE WORD OF GOD

THE WORD OF GOD From The Scriptures The Quran is the book of God. It has been preserved in its entirety since its revelation to the Prophet of Islam between CE 610 and 632. It is a book that brings glad tidings to humankind, along with divine admonition, and stresses the importance of man’s discovery of the Truth on a spiritual and intellectual level. Translated from Arabic and commentary by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan It is We who have ordained death for all of you; and We cannot be prevented from replacing you by others like yourselves or changing your forms and re-creating you in forms that you know nothing of. You have certainly known the first creation. Why, then, do you not take heed? Have you thought about what crops you plant? Is it you who cause them to grow or do We? If We so pleased, We could turn your harvest into chaff. Then you would start lamenting, ‘We are ruined, nay, we are deprived [altogether].’ Have you considered the water that you drink? Is it you who cause it to descend from the clouds, or do We? If We so pleased, We certainly could make it salty. Why, then, are you not grateful? Have you thought about the fire that you kindle? Did you produce the tree that serves as fuel or do We? We have made it to be a reminder and a benefit for the wayfarers. So glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme. (56: 60-74) For one who ponders over these events, there are countless lessons. In them there is proof of a second life after the present life. Similarly, there is a sure indication in them that He who has given things can also take them away. Then, there is the example of water. Reservoirs of water are mostly found here in the shape of seas containing salt water. About 98 percent of the water is found in seas and one tenth of its volume is made up of salt. It is a miracle of God’s law that when water vapour rises from the sea, pure water rises and the salt is left below. The fact is that the system of rain is a huge universal desalination process. Had this natural arrangement not been in place, all of the water in the world would have been brackish just like sea water.