Article appeared Friday, June 1st, 2012 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (230)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

According to research done over the past 20 years by Dario Maestripieri monkeys have a strong tendency for nepotism and political maneuvering{1}. We also know that not unlike humans, animals eat, sleep, drink, do the toilet, mate and have children. Which activity then, should distinguish humans from animals? The most recent Revelation, the Quran enlightens us, Read, in the name of your Lord and Cherisher Who created. Created man out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! Your Lord is Most Bountiful. He Who taught (the use of) the Pen and taught man that which he knew not. [96.1 96.5] Humans have been given the ability to read, analyze, understand the facts of their own creation and do what is best and just. Our Creator enlightens that each individual has been uniquely made from the smallest unit of blood. Given the ability of humans, modern science is independently {2} able to acknowledge that the complex and specific design information contained in the DNA of a single blood cell can only be produced by an intelligent designer, i.e. a creator. The distinguishing feature of humans allows them to independently explore the facts of creation and to pass on this knowledge in a written form for others to read. It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affections: that you may give thanks (to Allah). [16.78] Using the special intelligence and feelings, should each unique human adore the Creator and be grateful to Him? How should our Creator react to those who use this special intelligence to reckon, on the contrary, that they are self-sufficient and do not need to account for the gifts bestowed? Nay but man transgresses all bounds in that he looks upon himself as self-sufficient. Verily to your Lord is the return (of all). [96.6 96.8] Upon death, we shall return to our Creator to account for how we used our special favors. Since the major difference is the capacity to read, analyze, be grateful and follow guidance, our Creator often compares those who do not profit from the use of this special intelligence with that of animals. For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who reject Him: They will not believe. They are those with whom you made a covenant but they broke their covenant every time for they have not the fear (of Allah). [8.55 8.56] What covenant is the Creator talking about? The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law (i.e. Law given to Moses) but who subsequently failed in those (obligations) is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (large scholarly books) [62.4] Those with Revelations in the past and the present are obligated not only to study, understand and follow the Guidance (Laws) given but also to disseminate the knowledge just as it was given or Revealed by our Creator. And recite (and teach) what has been Revealed to you of the Book of your Lord: none has the right to change His Words... [18.27] The unchangeable nature of the Creators Laws given in the Torah (Old Testament, Mosaic Law) was subsequently made abundantly clear by Jesus (pbuh). I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. [Matthew 5:18, NIV] {3}

It must be understood that the Revealed Laws are part of the Creators Bounty for the benefit of mankind, so that humans elevate themselves above animals {1} by following the Laws. And Moses said: "If you show ingratitude, you and all on earth together yet Allah is free of all wants, (alone) worthy of all Praise. [14.8] For those who refuse to follow the Laws of the Creator and are defiant, His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack him he lolls out his tongue or if you leave him alone he (still) lolls out his tongue. That is the similitude of those who reject our Signs; so relate the story; perchance they may reflect. [7.176] Can our intelligence fool us into thinking that it is possible to outwit the Creator by coming up with ingenious schemes to circumvent the Laws or by practicing the occult? How should our Creator respond to such insolent behavior? Our Creator asks the Messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to enlighten mankind of the consequences of such foolhardy thinking.

5.60 Say: Shall I inform you of those worse than this in retribution from Allah? They are those whom Allah has cursed and upon whom He brought His wrath and of whom He made apes and swine, and who serve the devil. These are in a worse plight and further astray from the straight path.
As an example, for their repeated insolence, the Creator changed the Sabbath breakers (i.e. breakers of the Law given to Moses) to apes and swine. And well you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath; We said to them: "Be you apes despised and rejected. So We made it an example to their own time and to their posterity and a lesson to those who fear Allah." [2.65 2.66] In his explanation of Verse 2.65, Ibn Kathir (one of the earliest commentators of the Quran) relates relevant hadith which furnish the details of the story of the Sabbath breakers. They began using deceitful means to avoid honoring the Sabbath by placing nets, ropes and artificial pools of water for the purpose of fishing before the Sabbath. When the fish came in abundance on Saturday (the weekly day of the Sabbath) as usual, they were caught in the ropes and nets for the rest of Saturday. During the night, the Jews collected the fish after the Sabbath ended. When they did that, Allah changed them from humans into monkeys, the animals having the form closest to humans. Their evil deeds and deceit appeared lawful on the surface, but they were in reality wicked. This is why their punishment was compatible with their crime. {4} Can humans be changed by simply withdrawing their special intelligence or simply by removing their speech ability? Is our Creator limited by anything other than what He Wills? The lesson from Verse 5.60 therefore should not be debating on whether or how these people were changed. Rather, the Verse is a warning to those who wish to circumvent the Laws of the Creator or feel they know better. ---------{Notes}: {1} http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071024144314.htm {2} http://www.intelligentdesign.org/whatisid.php {3} http://bible.cc/matthew/5-18.htm {4} http://www.quran4u.com/Tafsir%20Ibn%20Kathir/002%20Baqarah%20I.htm