26TH JAMAADHUL AAKHIR 1419 - 18TH OCTOBER 1998
T H E B R A I N - LESSON 4. - (Concluding)
ربّ اشرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد
وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين - أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
وَفِي الأرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ
51.20 On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith,
وَفِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَفَلا تُبْصِرُونَ
51.21 As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see?
وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ
51.22 And in heaven is your Sustenance, as (also) that which ye are promised.
فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالأرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِثْلَ مَا أَنَّكُمْ تَنْطِقُونَ
51.23 Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth, as much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other.
Al-Qur'an, 51.20-23 (Adh-Dhariyat [The Winnowing winds])
Last week we were discussing the Split Brain Experiments.
The Split Brain experiments at least, seem to indicate that there need not be a "unique" seat of consciousness -
but there are other experiments that appear to suggest that some parts of the Cerebral Cortex are more to be associated with consciousness that are others.
One of these has to do with the phenomenon of “Blindsight.”
Damage to a region of the Visual Cortex can cause blindness in the corresponding field of vision. If an object is held in that region of the corresponding field of vision then that object will not be perceived.
Blindness occurs with respect to that region of vision.
Some very curious findings have shown that things are not that simple. Here is a case of a patient - whom we shall refer to as D.B. He had his Visual Cortex removed because of some problem or injury - as a result of which, he was unable to perceive or see anything in a certain region of the Visual field .
However, when something was placed in this region and D.B. was asked to 'guess' what that something was - they kept a mark, a cross, a circle or a line segment tilted at some angle, he was able to do with near 100% accuracy.
The accuracy of these guesses came as a surprise to D.B. himself and he still maintained that he could perceive nothing whatever in that region.
I hope you remember that I told you that certain parts of the brain also map out certain scenes/images received by the retina are also processed in certain regions of the brain other than the Visual Cortex and it is not in the way that we could describe as "seeing" in the normal sense!
It has also been observed that one of the more obscure regions involved lie in the lower temporal lobe.
Nothing was directly perceived 'consciously' by D.B. by the activation of these regions - yet the information was there to be revealed only in the correctness of D.B.'s guesses. In fact after some training D.B. was able to obtain a limited amount of actual awareness in respect of these regions.
So you can see that some areas of the Cerebral Cortex are associated with conscious perception than are other areas - and with some training/therapy or whatever, these other areas can apparently be brought within the scope of direct awareness.
Information processing in the Visual Cortex
More than any other part of the brain, it is the Visual Cortex that is best understood as to how it deals with the information that it receives and various models have been put forward to account for this action.
In fact some processing of Visual information takes place in the retina itself, before the Visual Cortex is reached.- remember that the Retina is considered - part of the brain -
One of the first experiments hinting at how the processing is carried out in the Visual Cortex was that which earned David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel the Nobel Prize in 1981. In their experiments they were able to show that certain cells in the Visual Cortex of a cat were responsive to lines in the Visual field which had a "particular angle of slope".
Other nearby cells would be responsive to lines having some different angle of slope. It would not often matter what it was that had this angle - it could be a line marking the boundary from dark to light or else from light to dark, or just a dark line on a light background. The one feature of 'angle of slope' had been abstracted by the particular cells that were being examined. Yet other cells would respond to particular colours, or to the differences between what is received by each eye, so that perception of depth may be obtained.
as one moves away from the Primary Reception Regions, one find cells that are sensitive to more and more subtle aspects of our perception of what we see.
For example, the image of a complete white triangle is perceived when we look at the drawing---fig---
Yet the lines forming the triangle itself are not actually mainly present in the figure but are inferred.
Cells in the Visual Cortex in what is called the Secondary Visual Cortex have actually been found which can register the position of these inferred lines.
There claims in the literature, in the early 1970s, of the discovery of a cell in a monkey's Visual Cortex which responded only when the image of a face registered on the retina. on the basis of such information – the "grandmother-cell hypothesis" was formulated, according to which there would be certain cells in the brain which would respond only when the subject's grandmother entered the room! Indeed, there are recent findings indicating that certain cells are responsive only to particular words. Perhaps this goes some way towards verifying the grandmother-cell hypothesis.
Today's scientists state there is an enormous amount to be learnt about the detailed processing that the brain carries out. very little is known, as yet, about how the higher brain centres carry out their duties -
Totally illogically they say, that there is no need for a Creator. If you ask them who then did plan the complex system of the brain, it's workings, which still finds impossible to comprehend, the workings of it – Allah says in the Holy Quran:
عَلَّمَ الإنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
96.5 Taught man that which he knew not.
كَلا إِنَّ الإنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَى
96.6 Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds,
أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَى
96.7 In that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient.
He thinks that he does not need Allah any more - I have technology, I have science, I do not need a God now, I am self-sufficient.
But Allah Says:
وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلا قَلِيلا
17.85 of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)"
Mufassiroon say, that all your knowledge that you may acquire is still less than an atom in comparison to the entire universe.
Allah again says :
أَأَنْتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَاهَا
79.27 What! Are ye the more difficult to create or the heaven (above – The Universe)? (Allah) hath constructed it:
Scientists say, with all their technology of micro chips and micro fisches – if they are to build something like the Human Brain, it will take the whole area of the earth and still they are not sure whether it will work or not.
Look at the area of the Earth:
Land 55,786,000 – Square Miles
Water 141,050,000 – Square Miles
Having a Total of 196,836,000 Square Miles – The area needed for man to build something resembling the Human Brain. In that case, you have to send all the human beings, animals and other creatures to another planet. Moreover, where will the scientists place their equipment and where in the world are they going to stand. Well!!!!!!
Allah has placed one such Brain in each head – on every human being – Not forgetting of course to mention the brains of other animals and other creations.
And man has the audacity to say that there is no Creator.
Coming back to our subject on “consciousness”
What is this consciousness that we are talking about?
Can we define consciousness?
But we can indeed rely on our subjective impressions and intuitive common sense as to what the term means and when this property of consciousness is likely to be present.
You and I know when we are conscious of ourselves. We seem to be having a consciousness of something - say:
A pain, warmth or colourful scene or a musical sound
Conscious of a feeling - like - puzzlement, despair, happiness.
Conscious of the memory of some past experience
Conscious of coming to an understanding of what someone else is saying.
Conscious of a new idea – and idea of our own.
We may be conscious of intending to speak or to take some other action such as getting up from your seat.
we may also step back and be conscious of such intentions or of any feeling of pain or of experiencing of memory or of us coming to an understanding.
We may even be conscious of my own consciousness.
We may be asleep and still be conscious to some degree, provided that we are experiencing some dream - or perhaps,
We are beginning to awake. We are consciously influencing the direction of that dream.
So now, we are prepared to believe that consciousness is a matter of degree and not simply something that is either there or not there.
I take the word 'consciousness' to be essentially synonymous with "awareness" - although awareness may be a little passive compared to consciousness.
According to scientists - the "mind" and "soul" have further connotations which are a good deal less clearly definable at present.
Let us ask the question : “What is Intelligence?”
The question that has arisen among the great scientists is : “How can true intelligence be present unless accompanied by consciousness.
In arabic the terms used are 'Aql, Fahima, Adhraka – عقل – فهم – أدرك – Meaning to realize, understand, comprehend, grasp apprehend, conceive, perceive,
It also means – Hijja –حِجّى – Meaning : mind, intellect, brain, head, reason, intelligence, sense, understanding, mentality.
When Allah Azzawajall addresses mankind in this manner, He is actually addressing the consciousness of the individual – reviving the consciousness and awareness and intelligence all in one.
*** The Next Question is : “Is it only man who can comprehend consciousness, awareness and intelligence?”
As I told you earlier, sometimes some people rely on the animals' inability to speak as an argument against their having any appreciable consciousness - not only that - they also imply that these animals do not even have any
rights.
** This line of argument is untenable and unreasonable and totally incapable of defended or justified.
Sophisticated conscious thinking (say : mathematical) can be carried out
without verbalization.
The Right-Side of the brain - also is sometimes argued - as having little consciousness as a chimpanzee – because of its lack of verbal ability.
Chimpanzees, gorillas - scientists say, that they are capable genuine verbalization - by means of sign language - rather than speak in the normal human way - due to lack of vocal chords.
** Just because we cannot hear them, or see them speak or understand their noises - does it mean that we come to the conclusion that they do not possess consciousness.
*** Konrad Lorenz 1972: Describes a chimpanzee in a room in which a banana was suspended from the ceiling – but just out of reach of the chimpanzee - In one corner of the room was placed a box.
All the chimpanzees attempt to grab the banana was futile. The matter gave him no peace - he was walking up and down the room - returning to it again and again.
They were watching his every move - suddenly the chimpanzee's face brightened.
They were now watching the cause of the sudden brightening of the chimpanzee's - he was staring at the box in the corner. Looked at the box – looked at the ground immediately below banana and looked at the banana and vice versa.
The next moment he gave scream ran and somersaulted on to the box in sheer high spirits - pushed the box beneath the suspended banana, another somersault on to the box and he was able to reach the banana quite easily . He took the banana and quietly sat in a corner to enjoy his success.
No man watching him - can doubt the genuine consciousness of the ape.
*** what about dolphins?: Dolphins can send extremely complex sound signals to one another - maybe owing to lack of prehensile hands - like ours, it cannot build a great civilization or write books - they too may sometimes
ponder over the question - ponder over the meaning of life like philosophers - why are we here? what is life and so on.
The scientists have not experimented with the dolphins to find out which side of the brain can verbalize...
They say that dolphins do not go to sleep with their whole brains -but one-side of the brain goes to sleep at a time... Subhanallah!
You can see some Quranic Verses highlighting Animal consciousness.
وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا
76.8 And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive,-
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لا نُرِيدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلا شُكُورًا
76.9 (Saying),"We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks.
Tha'aam - طعام: - Food, Nourishment, Nutriment, Support, Sustenance, Provision for Maintenance
“And they provide food, sustenance, nutriment, support and provision for maintenance for the love of Allah Azzawajall, - to the indigent, the poor, the needy - the orphan and the captive : dumb animals.
And I feed you, sustain you, support you and provide maintenance for the sake of Allah and Allah Azzawajall alone. No reward do we desire from you, nor thanks.
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ
21.30 Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
24.45 And Allah has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills for verily Allah has power over all things.
لَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
24.46 We have indeed sent down signs that make things manifest: and Allah guides whom He wills to a way that is straight.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُومُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ وَمَنْ يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ مُكْرِمٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ
22.18 Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth,- the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number among mankind? But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment: and such as Allah shall disgrace,- None can raise to honour: for Allah carries out all that He wills.
وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ
27.20 And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?
لأعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لأذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ
27.21 "I will certainly punish him with a severe penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence)."
فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ وَجِئْتُكَ مِنْ سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ
27.22 But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true.
إِنِّي وَجَدْتُ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ
27.23 "I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.
وَجَدْتُهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لا يَهْتَدُونَ
27.24 "I found her and her people worshipping the sun besides Allah: Satan has made their deeds seem pleasing in their eyes, and has kept them away from the Path,- so they receive no guidance,-
أَلا يَسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ
27.25 "(Kept them away from the Path), that they should not worship Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what ye hide and what ye reveal.
اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
27.26 "Allah!- there is no god but He!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!"
قَالَ سَنَنْظُرُ أَصَدَقْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
27.27 (Solomon) said: "Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied!
اذْهَبْ بِكِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَلْقِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا يَرْجِعُونَ
27.28 "Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return"...
قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلأ إِنِّي أُلْقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابٌ كَرِيمٌ
27.29 (The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! here is delivered to me - a letter worthy of respect.
إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
27.30 "It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): 'In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:
خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا وَأَلْقَى فِي الأرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
31.10 He created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; He set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and He scattered through it beasts of all kinds. We send down rain from the sky, and produce on the earth every kind of noble creature, in pairs.
وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الأرْضِ وَلا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
6.38 There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.
إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ مَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلا هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
11.56 "I put my trust in Allah, My Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He hath grasp of its fore-lock. Verily, it is my Lord that is on a straight Path.
Hadithes – Traditions and Narrations.
Hadith No.1.
Muatta of Imam Malik – Hadith No. 239 and Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 1041
- وَحَدَّثَنِى عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْهَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ التَّيْمِىِّ عَنْ أَبِى سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى الطُّورِ فَلَقِيتُ كَعْبَ الأَحْبَارِ فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَهُ فَحَدَّثَنِى عَنِ التَّوْرَاةِ وَحَدَّثْتُهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَانَ فِيمَا حَدَّثْتُهُ أَنْ قُلْتُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « خَيْرُ يَوْمٍ طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهِ خُلِقَ آدَمُ وَفِيهِ أُهْبِطَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَفِيهِ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِ وَفِيهِ مَاتَ وَفِيهِ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ وَهِىَ مُصِيخَةٌ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ مِنْ حِينِ تُصْبِحُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ شَفَقاً مِنَ السَّاعَةِ إِلاَّ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنْسَ وَفِيهِ سَاعَةٌ لاَ يُصَادِفُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّى يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ ». قَالَ كَعْبٌ ذَلِكَ فِى كُلِّ سَنَةٍ يَوْمٌ . فَقُلْتُ بَلْ فِى كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ . فَقَرَأَ كَعْبٌ التَّوْرَاةَ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَلَقِيتُ بَصْرَةَ بْنَ أَبِى بَصْرَةَ الْغِفَارِىَّ فَقَالَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَقْبَلْتَ فَقُلْتُ مِنَ الطُّورِ . فَقَالَ لَوْ أَدْرَكْتُكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِ مَا خَرَجْتَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ « لاَ تُعْمَلُ الْمَطِىُّ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِلَى مَسْجِدِى هَذَا وَإِلَى مَسْجِدِ إِيلْيَاءَ أَوْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ». يَشُكُّ . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ثُمَّ لَقِيتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سَلاَمٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِمَجْلِسِى مَعَ كَعْبِ الأَحْبَارِ وَمَا حَدَّثْتُهُ بِهِ فِى يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَقُلْتُ قَالَ كَعْبٌ ذَلِكَ فِى كُلِّ سَنَةٍ يَوْمٌ . قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ كَذَبَ كَعْبٌ . فَقُلْتُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ كَعْبٌ التَّوْرَاةَ فَقَالَ بَلْ هِىَ فِى كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ . فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ صَدَقَ كَعْبٌ . ثُمَّ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَيَّةَ سَاعَةٍ هِىَ . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِى بِهَا وَلاَ تَضَنَّ عَلَىَّ . فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ هِىَ آخِرُ سَاعَةٍ فِى يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقُلْتُ وَكَيْفَ تَكُونُ آخِرُ سَاعَةٍ فِى يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « لاَ يُصَادِفُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّى ». وَتِلْكَ السَّاعَةُ سَاعَةٌ لاَ يُصَلَّى فِيهَا فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ أَلَمْ يَقُلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « مَنْ جَلَسَ مَجْلِساً يَنْتَظِرُ الصَّلاَةَ فَهُوَ فِى صَلاَةٍ حَتَّى يُصَلِّىَ ». قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى . قَالَ فَهُوَ ذَلِكَ .
(Recorded in Al-Hadis by Maulana Fazlul Karim vol.3.p.451.hadith 658)
The Apostle of Allah Azzawajall (peace be upon him) said: The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was expelled (from Paradise), on it his contrition was accepted, on it he died, and on it the Last Hour will take place. On Friday every beast is on the lookout from dawn to sunrise in fear of the Last Hour,
but not jinn and men, and it contains a time at which no Muslim prays and asks anything from Allah Azzawajall but He will give it to him. Ka'b said: That is one day every year. So I said: It is on every Friday. Ka'b read the Torah and said: The Apostle of Allah Azzawajall (peace be upon him) has spoken the truth. AbuHurayrah said: I met Abdullah ibn Salam
and told him of my meeting with Ka'b. Abdullah ibn Salam said: I know what time it is. AbuHurayrah said: I asked
him to tell me about it. Abdullah ibn Salam said: It is at the very end of Friday. I asked: How can it be when the Apostle of Allah Azzawajall (peace be upon him) has said: "No Muslim finds it while he is praying...." and this is the moment when no prayer is offered. Abdullah ibn Salam said: Has the Apostle of Allah Azzawajall (peace be upon him) not said:
"If anyone is seated waiting for the prayer, he is engaged in the prayer until he observes it." I said: Yes, it is so.
Hadith No. 2.
عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحمن ابنِ عُثْمَانَ أنَّ طَبِيْبًا سَالَ النَّبِيّ ُ (ص) عَنْ ضَفْدَع ِ يَجْعَلُهَا فِيْ دَوَاءٍ –
فَنَهَاهُ النَّبِيّ ُ (ص) عَنْ قَتَلِهَا (ابو داوُوْد)
Hadith 3862 & Hadith 5249 (Abu-Dawood Hadith)
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When a physician consulted the Prophet (peace be upon him) about putting frogs in medicine, he forbade him to kill them.
عن ابن عبّاس ٍ قال – نَهَى رَسُوْلُ اللهِ (ص) عَنْ قَتَلٍ أرْبّع ٍ مِنَ الَّوَابِّ :
النَّمْلَةِ - والنّضحْلَةِ – وَالهُدْهُدِ – وَالصُّرَدِ (ابو داوُوْد)
(Fazlul Karim – Al-Hadis Vol.2. Page.181.Hadith No.184
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah Azzawajall prohibited killing four kinds of cretures - Ants, Bees, Hoopoes and Sparrows.
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Muslim (Arabic) Hadith No. 7150- حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِى حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ « إِنَّ لِلّهِ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ أَنْزَلَ مِنْهَا رَحْمَةً وَاحِدَةً بَيْنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنْسِ وَالْبَهَائِمِ وَالْهَوَامِّ فَبِهَا يَتَعَاطَفُونَ وَبِهَا يَتَرَاحَمُونَ وَبِهَا تَعْطِفُ الْوَحْشُ عَلَى وَلَدِهَا وَأَخَّرَ اللَّهُ تِسْعاً وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً يَرْحَمُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ».
Hadith 6631 (Muslim Hadith – Arabic Reference 7150)
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Allah Azzawajall's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: There are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah Azzawajall and He has sent down out of these one part of mercy upon the jinn and human beings and the insects and it is because of this (one part) that they love one another, show kindness to one another and even the beast treats its young one with affection, and Allah Azzawajall has reserved ninety-nine parts of mercy with which He would treat His servants on the Day of Resurrection.
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلا كَالأنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلا
25.44 Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle;- nay, they are worse astray in Path.
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُولَئِكَ كَالأنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ
7.179 Many are the Jinns and men we have made for Hell: They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle,- nay more misguided (worse than animals): for they are heedless (of warning).
Based on this verse Professor J.T. Green of the University of Jersey, tried an
Experiment on Rats.
Normally when a person behaves in a contemptible manner – say, one who betrays, is normally called a rat. Let us look at this experiment.
The Experiment
“Professor Green took Ten Rats and placed them in an experimental cage – This “cage” was almost like a small room with Glasses on all 4 sides. Inside this “cage” he fitted Two Levers – one was easy to press the other was a bit difficult to press. When the easy lever was pressed large quantities of food fell into the “cage” and when the difficult lever was pressed only a relatively small quantity of food fell into the “cage”. The rats were trained to press the lever for food and when the rats found out that pressing the easy lever gave them more food – they became used to pressing this lever for their food, they hardly looked at the “difficult” lever.
Now Professor Green takes out one rat and puts him in a special smaller cage. This cage had a copper floor to which an electrical connection was made to the “easy” in the other cage – so that when the “easy” lever was pressed a small electric shock is felt by the rat in the smaller cage.
Now when these rats were pressing the “easy” lever for food, they felt that one of their species in the other cage is suffering. All the Nine Rats in the Larger experimental “cage” stopped pressing the easy lever and laboriously started pressing the difficult lever and was satisfied with the little quantity of food that fell in.”
Look at man, how he strives to cause discomfort, pain, injury and inconvenience to his fellow humans. Don’t you ever call a human being a “rat” you will be insulting the rat.
So the words of Allah
“They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle,- nay more misguided – They are worse than animals.” – proved precisely accurate beyond any doubt.
Animals too have feelings – remember.
إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لا يَعْقِلُونَ
8.22 For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb,- those who understand not.
Bukhari Hadith Serial No.4646- حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا وَرْقَاءُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى نَجِيحٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ( إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ ) قَالَ هُمْ نَفَرٌ مِنْ بَنِى عَبْدِ الدَّارِ
Bukhari Vol.6. Hadith No. 169
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
Regarding the Verse: "Verily! The worst of beasts in the Sight of Allah Azzawajall are the deaf and the dumb----those who understand not." (8.22)
(The people referred to here) were some persons from the tribe of Bani 'Abd-Addar.
إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَهُمْ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ
8.55 For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who reject Him: They will not believe.
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْمُبِينُ
27.16 And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)"
وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
27.17 And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts,- of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.
حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِ النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ
27.18 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it."
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِنْ قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
27.19 So he smiled, amused at her speech; and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants."
We shall wind up with a Hadith from Hadith Qudsi
One day Sulaiman (A) was walking along the sea - beach when he saw a large ant carrying a some food - it stopped along the edge of the water and was calling out - then he saw frog coming to the edge of the water and the ant got on to the body of the frog and kept itself safe in the folds of the frogs' skin together with the food it was carrying.
Now Sulaiman (A) -a goes away and on his return he saw the same ant, moving along the beach. He called out to the ant and said: “O ant, earlier when I was going I saw you carrying some food and I saw you getting on to the back of a frog and now on my way back I am seeing you - what is it that you were doing?
The ant said : O prophet of Allah : Allah Azzawajall in His Mercy, has given me the responsibility of feeding a helpless worm, which is inside a rock in the middle of this sea. I bring the food and call out - when Allah sends an angel in the shape of a frog. And this frog transports me to the rock. There is a hole in the crevice of rock, where only I can go in - I take the food to the worm - who eats it and praises Allah Azzawajall: it says: “Gglory be to Allah has created me, Praise be to Allah who has made me live inside a rock and All Praises be to Him Who provides me sustenance -
Allaahu Akbar – Allah is indeed Great” -
The ant said: “I wait there just to listen to his praises and glorification of Allah Azzawajall and then I come out and the frog leaves me on the shore and goes away."
Sulaiman (A) was stunned that he fell in sujood Praising His Lord.
The word “Brain” - يَدْمَغُهُ – Appears Once only in the Holy Quran – Like Man has only One BRAIN.
All the other Ayaaths refer to what man does – his actions by using the facility provided by the Brain.
Think, Reflect and Ponder.
With this wind up our lesson on “The Brain”
وآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا اَن ِالْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن
السّلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته