| “Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight” 56 (Al-A’araf). We’ll see a new vision of Islamic treatment…. |
Quran and the history of Earth
Earth was contaminated so God fixed it for us and ordered us not to spoil it any more but ordered us to supplicate him to avoid the evil of environmental corruption, let us read this new vision of the verse….
The radiation measurements of Earth rocks has indicated that the age of this earth is within 4.6 billion years, where it was in its early stages a flaming giant wrapped with flaming rocks, and there are millions of meteorites that hit its surface every day, these hits were considered to be as a hammer knocking and settling this earth till it took its’ spherical shape .
Then this earth has started to cool gradually , water vapor started to condense around it in the atmosphere, clouds started to be shaped and rains falling down heavily , which lead to cooling the Earth and the emergence of seas that enveloped the entire Earth.
Then the earth’s crust has started to be formed and fissures started to appear on it which formed what is called tectonic plates, those plates began to move and to collide with each other forming mountains and rising rivers. Scientists believe that life has begun on Earth 3 billion years ago and they also say that a sudden extinction has occurred for many species of living organisms such as dinosaurs which have become extinct 65 million years ago after they have spoiled the earth , did massacres and spilled each others blood .Then a huge meteor fell down and penetrated the Earth’s atmosphere causing fires, destruction and pollution which led to the complete perdition of this kind of creatures.
Repeated Earth Pollution
When Scientists have studied the Earth history, they found that Earth at the beginning of its creation was highly contaminated with toxic gases, oxygen was not born yet, and the atmosphere consisted of poisonous gases and water vapor.
Then and over millions of years and as a result of physical reactions by the act of God , the earths’ atmosphere has been purified from those gases and filled with clean air, thus God fit earth for life to be suitable to be lived on its surface .
Scientists inform us that the amount of carbon gas and methane gas were hundreds of times greater than it is today, which means that there was a corruption in the earth’s atmosphere and God fixed it through the creation of plants which absorbed that gas to make its’ own food and through the dissolving of a part of that poisonous gas in the oceans . And at the same time God created a great amount of bacteria which produce oxygen in large quantities. This operation continued for millions of years where bacteria and plants acted as purifications systems for the earths’ atmosphere.
One day earth was highly contaminated but God fixed it to us, and scientists says that the ratio of carbon gas was hundreds times much than it is today, then a complex physical and dynamic reactions have been occurred and as a result was the clean atmosphere, but studies indicate that there is a new increase in the ratio of carbon gas which alarms to dangerous and natural disasters.
The mercy of carbon gas
God with his mercy chose to purify our earth from the toxic carbon gas, that gas in an era of time was heavily covering the earth. Today its ratio is about 0.035 %, in other word, in every one hundred thousand grams of air there is 35 grams of carbon gas. If we looked at the other planets of the solar system, we notice that its atmosphere is corrupted and is not suitable for life. For example, the proportion of carbon gas on Mars is about 96% and its proportion on Venus is more than 98%, so when we find that the carbon gas proportion on earth is very low (0.035%) so it’s surely a mercy of god on us.
In a research held at the University of Chicago, scientists confirmed that carbon gas is really a mercy of God as it regulates the temperature on the surface of the earth, and that any change in the gas ratio would cause disasters and hurricanes.
The mercy of oxygen
Why did God make the ratio of oxygen in the atmosphere about 21%? Of course this ratio is appropriate for the continuation of life. Researchers says that if the ratio of oxygen in the atmosphere was less than 15% we will not be able to set on fire as the amount of oxygen would not be sufficient to complete the interaction. And if the amount of oxygen is more than 25% everything on earth will be burned without even a sparkle because of sun heat!
And the strangest thing that causes the wonder of scientists is that the micro-organisms on earth if they are exposed to direct sunlight, they die immediately. But with a mercy of God that he provided the atmosphere with a layer of ozone gas. That layer absorbs the ultraviolet radiations coming from the sun, and without this layer all creatures on earth have been dead from a long time, but in fact it was impossible for life to arise!
Of course, someone may ask a question: How do scientists know about the amount of oxygen or carbon gases in the earths’ atmosphere millions of years ago? During getting samples of ice in the Alps for example, scientists have found that this ice contains bubbles of gas. And after examination of those bubbles with what it contains of elements which is called radioactive isotopes, and by the amount of remaining radiation in those elements, they can calculate the age of those bubbles and how was the atmosphere at that time.
The mercy of god has prepared for us the suitable atmosphere to live on earth, as earth has a wonderful atmosphere which contains about (0.03%) of carbon gas and this percentage is suitable for living on Earth. On the other side, we find that Mars has a thin atmosphere full of carbon gas, and also Venus. And this is one of the mercies that we should thank God for it.
A future with bad news !
Studies have shown that the ratio of carbon gas now in the atmosphere is 30% higher than what was it in the previous ages, and the ratio of methane gas is 100% higher than what was it in previous years.
The proportion of carbon gas increases with a rate of 1% every year, and that increase is very dangerous, this rapid increase is because of the human activity in burning fuel and energy production. Therefore, if that increase continues as it is now, so during the next 100 years the ratio of gas carbon in the atmosphere will be higher than ever before in the earth history during the last million years.
The increase in the ratio of carbon gas will cause sudden climate changes, and that will cause some natural disasters, and as a result of that a famine could sweep the world especially the poor part of it, sea level will rise several meters due to melting of Icebergs in north and south Antarctic. And that will cause the sinking of whole coastal cities as a result of that high rise.
The increase in the ratio of carbon in the atmosphere during previous ages of earth was due to the geological phenomena like volcanoes and the gases emerged from them, and despite of that massive amounts of gases , it is still much less than today’s pollutants released by human.
A curve representing the increase of carbon gas ratio from 1958 till 2004 showing the rapid increase in the ratio of this poisonous gas, as the ratio increased from 300 parts in one million to 400 parts in one million during the last 50 years!
Quran talks about the earth pollution cycle
Recent studies of the earth history indicates there is a cycle for the earths’ atmosphere, where one day it was full of poisonous gases, then the ratio of those gases declined gradually according to delicate and complex operations mending that imbalance in the atmosphere and without those operations it was impossible for life to be on earth .
Today, scientists inform us that the rate of pollution has increased once again so we find them uttering warning cries for human to not to pollute this earth because that will lead to a lot of environmental disasters .So Quran has preceded those scientists to refer to this scientific fact as Quran has confirmed that the earth was one day not suitable for life then God fixed it and ordered us not to corrupt it and to supplicate him to prevent us evil of disasters . God said: (Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight, and worship Him out of reverence, and out of hope. Surely, God’s mercy is attainable by the righteous) verse 56 (Al-A’araf).
This verse included several signs:
This verse included several signs:
- A sign to avoid corruption and pollution in the earth as he says: (Do not corrupt the earth).
- A sign that one day earth was polluted then God fixed it to us and ordered us not to corrupt it after it has been set straight as he says: (after it has been set straight).
- A sign to the importance of supplications in this era as nowadays the environmental corruption is threatening the earth with natural disasters like hurricanes, tsunamis and acidic rain, etc., as he says: (and worship Him out of reverence and out of hope).
- A sign to not lose hope of Gods’ mercy and to regard as a good omen and that God is able to repair that environmental imbalance as he says: (Surely, God’s mercy is attainable by the righteous).
500 scientists agree on this fact !
500 scientists agree on this fact !
In the 2nd conference which was held in Paris in the beginning of 2007 , more than 500 scientists gathered from all over the world and they drew conclusions that the environmental corruption and pollution have covered land, sea and even human, plants and animals and that human is responsible for that corruption and there is a possibility to return back to the normal ratios for carbon gas in the atmosphere.
The most amazing thing is that Quran summarized for us these results in only one verse which refers that the spread of that corruption in land and see is because of human as he says: (Disasters have spread throughout the land and sea, because of what the people have committed. He thus lets them taste the consequences of some of their works that they may return (to the right works) verse 41(Al-Room)
Hurricanes and their dangerous outcomes are the most important results of the environmental pollution, and this is one of the results of the corruptions that Quran has warned us from as he says: (Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight, and worship Him out of reverence, and out of hope. Surely, God’s mercy is attainable by the righteous) verse 56 (Al-A’araf)
What is corruption?
One of the meanings of corruption in Almoheet dictionary is (Infertility). Infertility happens as a result of cessation of rain or natural disasters which kills plants and animals, so God has ordered human not to be a reason in the destruction and corruption of the earths’ atmosphere. And that what Quran has told us about anyone who seeks to ruin the earth balanced system as he says (As soon as he leaves, he roams the earth corrupting, destroying properties and lives. GOD does not love corruption) verse 205 (Al-Baqarah)
So there are many kinds of corruption, ethical corruption and environmental corruption. And these verses has been revealed in a time when no one knows that one day the ratio of pollution on earth will be so high and indicates to the corruption of the earths’ atmosphere.
The Prophet brings good news!
Under these dark signs of the earths’ future, a generous prophetic indication full of hope for us the Muslims as he assured to us that Arab countries most of which are deserts will be back as rivers and pastures, as he says peace be upon him: (The Day of Resurrection will not come till Arab land return as rivers and pastures)[Narrated by Muslim].
In this noble saying are good news for Muslims that rivers, water and rains will increase and will be a reason in making these deserts full of forests, trees and lakes. And that’s what scientists confirm in their recent researches.
Therefore, we should increase our supplications and asking for forgiveness from God as God says to his messenger Noah (I said, Implore your Lord for forgiveness; He is Forgiving. He will then shower you generously with rain. And provide you with money and children, and orchards, and streams.) Verses (10 -12) Noah.
Satellite Photographs refer that the Empty Quarter desert was one day covered with a cover of dense plants, rivers and lakes were spreading all over it, and in the future it will become once again full of rivers and pastures. Source NASA
Conclusion
From God’ mercy that he created for us this earth, it was full of corruption so he fitted it for us and made it suitable for life , comfortable to live on and thanks God for his mercy. He ordered us not to corrupt in it or destroy that environmental balance after God has fixed it for us. He ordered us also to increase supplications to prevent us from evil of awaiting environmental disasters as he says: (Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight, and worship Him out of reverence, and out of hope. Surely, God’s mercy is attainable by the righteous) verse 56 (Al-A’araf). Oh God, we seek your protection from every thing your are taking its forelock, my God is on the right path
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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel
Sources:
- Steve Koppes, Carbon dioxide may have acted as Earth’s ‘thermostat’ since earliest times, Chicago University, Feb. 15, 2007.
- Modeling a Short History of CO2 Concentrations in the Earth’s Atmosphere, Science Activities, v29 n3 p36-38 Fall 1992.
- Global Warming: A Perspective from Earth History, University of Leicester.
- Earth’s atmosphere, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect, www.aip.org, August 2007.
- Evolution of the Atmosphere, University of Michigan.
